as in use
the capacity for being useful for some purpose
the well-known usefulness of thick phone books as seat boosters for short diners
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Recent Examples of usefulness
That business of the 2 a.m. time for the clock change has also outlived its usefulness.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
Yet, the usefulness of their insights isn’t all that surprising.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The analogy is typically dismissed by MAGA voters as a hysterical exaggeration, while its usefulness in liberal or leftist critiques of Trump seems minimal.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025
The CrossOver software for Mac and Windows, Apple's Game Porting Toolkit, and the Proton project that powers Valve's SteamOS and the Steam Deck are all rooted in Wine, and the attention and resources put into the project in recent years have dramatically improved its compatibility and usefulness.
—Ars Technica, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usefulness
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
Yet, the usefulness of their insights isn’t all that surprising.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The analogy is typically dismissed by MAGA voters as a hysterical exaggeration, while its usefulness in liberal or leftist critiques of Trump seems minimal.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025
The CrossOver software for Mac and Windows, Apple's Game Porting Toolkit, and the Proton project that powers Valve's SteamOS and the Steam Deck are all rooted in Wine, and the attention and resources put into the project in recent years have dramatically improved its compatibility and usefulness.
—Ars Technica, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usefulness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usefulness
Noun
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However, if the washing machine is 10 years or older, then purchasing a new washer is a better use of your money than continually paying for repairs.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Mar. 2025
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Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice, said the Trump administration's potential use of state secrets privilege could revive a decades-old conflict about the judicial branch's role in national security issues.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Teams traded pressure through most of the first half to almost no avail, each producing just two shots on goal as defenses kept dangers to the outside.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2024
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Yates took his anger out on a chair, smacking the bench, the redshirt freshman guard dropping 18 points and three threes to little avail.—
Luca Evans,
Orange County Register,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The utility made a number of assertions to support its request.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacramento Bee,
17 Mar. 2025
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These regulations mandate how much energy a state’s utilities must supply from renewable energy sources.—
Mary Foley,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usefulness. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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