Synonym Chooser

How is the word utensil different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of utensil are appliance, implement, instrument, and tool. While all these words mean "a relatively simple device for performing work," utensil applies to a device used in domestic work or some routine unskilled activity.

kitchen utensils

When is appliance a more appropriate choice than utensil?

While the synonyms appliance and utensil are close in meaning, appliance refers to a tool or instrument utilizing a power source and suggests portability or temporary attachment.

household appliances

When would implement be a good substitute for utensil?

The words implement and utensil can be used in similar contexts, but implement may apply to anything necessary to perform a task.

crude stone implements
farm implements

When might instrument be a better fit than utensil?

While in some cases nearly identical to utensil, instrument suggests a device capable of delicate or precise work.

the dentist's instruments

How do tool and implement relate to one another, in the sense of utensil?

Tool suggests an implement adapted to facilitate a definite kind or stage of work and suggests the need of skill more strongly than implement.

a carpenter's tools

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of utensil The dirty floor was barely visible beneath the immense clutter of half-broken furniture; utensils and cooking appliances were streaked with saucy refuse; and people were packed together, yelling as if there weren’t just two centimeters of void between them. Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 Everyday dishes, stainless steel utensils and dishwasher-safe plastics are generally safe to load. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025 Good Start Packaging makes straws, utensils and to-go containers for restaurants and federal facilities. Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025 When slicing fresh berries, wash utensils and surfaces with soap and water to avoid cross-contamination with other foods. Cathy Nelson, Health, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for utensil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for utensil
Noun
  • This versatile bag also makes a thoughtful gift for any traveler, offering enough space to fit hair tools, toiletries, medication, and more.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2025
  • What to watch: Scores of health tech companies now advertise tools, often driven by artificial intelligence, aimed at cutting down provider workload by automating administrative tasks.
    Maya Goldman, Axios, 9 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Sessions run three hours daily, three days weekly, with customizable timing and full device access outside therapy.
    Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Nelson was charged with one count of malicious destruction of property, explosives or incendiary devices use, felony criminal mischief and criminal attempt to commit felonies, according to a news release from the Loveland Police Department.
    Pilar Arias, Fox News, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • On-chain assets are, ultimately, financial instruments and the ecosystem is long overdue for crypto-specific audit and attestation standards.
    Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Each satellite carries a camera, which acts like a synchronized, single, virtual instrument with a largely uninterrupted view of the sun.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Utensil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/utensil. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on utensil

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