1
as in to utilize
to put into action or service
I will need to use the large hammer for this project
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to treat
to behave toward in a stated way
the factory workers were underpaid and poorly used by their employers
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to exploit
to take unfair advantage of
I was paying for everything on our little outing, and I was starting to feel like I was being used
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in application
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose
the use of boom boxes is strictly prohibited in the park
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in usefulness
the capacity for being useful for some purpose
the broken grill isn't going to be of much use in cooking the hamburgers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in liking
positive regard for something
I have no use for slackers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of use
Pilar Arias, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
Top management knew best and issued directives to the rest of the organization, using steep chains of command to ensure order.
—Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
Other uses include reporting gambling winnings, rents and royalties, gains and losses in brokerage accounts, and, importantly here, dividend and interest payments.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for use
Verb
The law went into effect on July 1, and allows pregnant women to use accessible parking spaces for up to one year after the date of issuance.
—Pilar Arias, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
Top management knew best and issued directives to the rest of the organization, using steep chains of command to ensure order.
—Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Noun
The Commission on Fine Arts has not received any formal proposals this year for a new use for the building or its property, Luebke said.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
Other uses include reporting gambling winnings, rents and royalties, gains and losses in brokerage accounts, and, importantly here, dividend and interest payments.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for use
Recent Examples of Synonyms for use
Verb
-
On Saturday, nearly 40 people were involved in the search for Sawyer, while around 70 were mobilized on Sunday, officials said. ATVs, canine units and drones have also been utilized in the search efforts, officials said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
-
The case was reopened with fresh eyes in 2019, and authorities began utilizing DNA technology in their investigation, the police chief said.—
Mike Stunson
July 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Everything here is just better – the way animals are treated, people are polite.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
20 July 2025
-
The woman was taken to the Rossmoor Bar river access and treated by Metro Fire responders before being airlifted to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead, authorities said.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
20 July 2025
Verb
-
Given that many forms of manufacturing are labor-intensive, any country where the cost of labor is lower than the cost in the U.S. can exploit such an opportunity.—
Sheldon H. Jacobson,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
-
Lunn promised to provide low-cost necessities—groceries, coal, and ice for the pre-electric era iceboxes—by starting city-run businesses to compete with private merchants who exploited their poor customers.—
Time,
Time,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
Singer continued to advise prospective undergraduates on their college applications while serving his sentence in federal prison in Florida, and from a California halfway house after his release.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
-
The most dramatic application of this asymmetric approach came in June, when a fleet of more than a hundred Ukrainian drones struck targets as far away as Siberia, destroying or damaging some twenty Russian warplanes.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
While the usefulness of AI features may be debatable, years of OS and software support are not, which gives Samsung the decisive edge.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 July 2025
-
Teens recognized the usefulness of navigation apps, but simultaneously acknowledged the risk of accidents associated with taking their eyes off the road. What People Are Saying Robbins told Newsweek that distracted driving endangers young people, but also the traveling public around them.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Avs coach Jared Bednar took a bit of a liking to him last year before the suspension.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
10 July 2025
-
Neeson recalls taking an immediate liking to the idea of starring in a Naked Gun reboot.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
The formula was applied to the target amounts that were distributed in January.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
-
Upgrades were applied to both the passive and active components, enhancing the overall integrity of the existing ESL 2812 and ESL 2912 models.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Today’s chatbots, in contrast, can engage in meaningful, multi-turn conversations—answering complex questions, handling follow-ups, and even escalating issues when necessary.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
The city and its utilities department is handling the acts of vandalism, working with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Use.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/use. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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