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Usefulness: alternatives and connections

Begin with the reviewed alternatives, then explore broader connections without treating every related word as an automatic substitute.

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26,102 words currently have published synonym-style alternatives
90,593 searchable synonym connections
350,924 published thesaurus relationships of every type
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Usefulness

The quality or state of being useful; utility; serviceableness; advantage.

69 useful connections shown 28 reviewed relationships and 41 broader connections.
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Reviewed alternatives and contrasts

These links were deliberately created. Use the interchangeability score and guidance to judge whether a word will work in your sentence.

Narrower term 8

Detergency 76% connected

A cleansing quality or power.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Function 76% connected

The act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; per formance.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Instrumentality 76% connected

The quality or condition of being instrumental; that which is instrumental; anything used as a means; medium; agency.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Practicability 76% connected

The quality or state of being practicable; practicableness; feasibility.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Practicality 76% connected

The quality or state of being practical; practicalness.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Purpose 76% connected

That which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Role 76% connected

A part, or character, performed by an actor in a drama; hence, a part of function taken or assumed by any one; as, he has now taken the role of phila…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Use 76% connected

The act of employing anything, or of applying it to one's service; the state of being so employed or applied; application; employment; conversion to…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a narrower or more specific lexical category.

Broader term 1

Quality 76% connected

The condition of being of such and such a sort as distinguished from others; nature or character relatively considered, as of goods; character; sort;…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet identifies the related term as a broader lexical category for at least one sense.

Derivationally related 10

Apply 74% connected

To lay or place; to put or adjust (one thing to another); -- with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply medicaments to a diseased part of…

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Apply 74% connected

To lay or place; to put or adjust (one thing to another); -- with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply medicaments to a diseased part of…

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Employ 74% connected

To inclose; to infold.

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Employ 74% connected

To inclose; to infold.

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Useful 74% connected

Full of use, advantage, or profit; producing, or having power to produce, good; serviceable for any end or object; helpful toward advancing any purpo…

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Useful 74% connected

Full of use, advantage, or profit; producing, or having power to produce, good; serviceable for any end or object; helpful toward advancing any purpo…

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Utile 74% connected

Profitable; useful.

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Utile 74% connected

Profitable; useful.

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Utilitarian 74% connected

Of or pertaining to utility; consisting in utility; /iming at utility as distinguished from beauty, ornament, etc.; sometimes, reproachfully, evincin…

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Utilitarian 74% connected

Of or pertaining to utility; consisting in utility; /iming at utility as distinguished from beauty, ornament, etc.; sometimes, reproachfully, evincin…

oewn 2023 15% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records a derivational relationship between these word forms.

Attribute 6

Useful 66% connected

Full of use, advantage, or profit; producing, or having power to produce, good; serviceable for any end or object; helpful toward advancing any purpo…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet links these concepts through an attribute relationship.

Useful 66% connected

Full of use, advantage, or profit; producing, or having power to produce, good; serviceable for any end or object; helpful toward advancing any purpo…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet links these concepts through an attribute relationship.

Useless 66% connected

Having, or being of, no use; unserviceable; producing no good end; answering no valuable purpose; not advancing the end proposed; unprofitable; ineff…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet links these concepts through an attribute relationship.

Useless 66% connected

Having, or being of, no use; unserviceable; producing no good end; answering no valuable purpose; not advancing the end proposed; unprofitable; ineff…

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet links these concepts through an attribute relationship.

Utile 66% connected

Profitable; useful.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet links these concepts through an attribute relationship.

Utile 66% connected

Profitable; useful.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet links these concepts through an attribute relationship.

Synonym 1

Utility 92% connected

The quality or state of being useful; usefulness; production of good; profitableness to some valuable end; as, the utility of manure upon land; the u…

oewn 2023 68% interchangeable

Open English WordNet places these words in at least one shared synset. They share a lexicalised sense, but context, register and collocation should still be checked before substitution.

Antonym 2

Inutility 94% connected

Uselessness; the quality of being unprofitable; unprofitableness; as, the inutility of vain speculations and visionary projects.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records these words as lexical opposites.

Inutility 94% connected

Uselessness; the quality of being unprofitable; unprofitableness; as, the inutility of vain speculations and visionary projects.

oewn 2023 0% interchangeable

Open English WordNet records these words as lexical opposites.

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Words from the same subject

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Words connected by meaning

Their definitions overlap or refer to similar ideas. Use these to widen your search, then compare the exact meanings.