utilize

American  

[yoot-l-ahyz] / ˈyut lˌaɪz /

especially British, utilise

verb (used with object)

utilized, utilizing

1. to put to use; turn to profitable account.

   to utilize a stream to power a mill.

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utilize British  

/ ˈjuːtɪˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to make practical or worthwhile use of

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Usage

What is another way to say utilize? To utilize something is to put it to use or turn it to profitable account. How is utilize different from use? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

• half-utilized
  adjective
• nonutilized
  adjective
• overutilize
  verb (used with object)
• preutilizable
  adjective
• preutilize
  verb (used with object)
• quasi-utilized
  adjective
• reutilize
  verb (used with object)
• underutilized
  adjective
• unutilizable
  adjective
• unutilized
  adjective
• utilizable
  adjective
• utilization
  noun
• utilizer
  noun
• well-utilized
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of utilize

First recorded in 1800–10; from French utiliser, equivalent to utile “useful” ( see utile) + -iser -ize

Explanation

To utilize is to use what you have or what's available, and it's a three-syllable word meaning the same thing as the one-syllable "use." The word utilize is often a more formal way to express "putting something to use." If you don’t have time to go to the store but you need to come up with a science project, you might utilize what's already in the kitchen. Most of the time you can use the verb use as a synonym for utilize. You can utilize a shorter word to make a sentence easier to read.

Example Sentences

Many private asset firms utilize “day-one markups” on secondary investments, an accounting practice that boosts reported profits and manager incentive payouts.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

“The proposal is to utilize the existing resources that we have, and then transition towards a more sustainable funding source.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

The impact on Ferrari is less clear, but Barclays thinks it would mostly utilize its contractual right to pass on tariffs for the most part.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

The decision will help it “make more optimal economic decisions around how we best utilize our debt and cash portfolios to support the business,” CFO Kevan Parekh said.

From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026

I had to utilize all the commentaries this time and was able to finish explaining the thought unit a moment before the three o’clock bell sounded.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok

Related Words

• apply
• appropriate
• employ
• exploit
• handle
• promote
• resort to
• take advantage of