• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

use·ful·ness noun : the quality of having utility and esp. practical worth or applicability

use·less adjective : having or being of no use

— use·less·ly adverb

— use·less·ness noun

Synonyms

impractical, inoperable, unusable, unworkable—more at IMPRACTICAL

abortive, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, unavailing, unproductive, unsuccessful, vain—more at FUTILE

us·er noun : one that uses; especially : a person who regularly uses alcoholic beverages or narcotics

Synonyms

addict, doper, fiend—more at DOPER

USES abbreviation United States Employment Service

use up verb : to consume completely

Synonyms

clean, consume, deplete, drain, exhaust, expend, spend—more at DEPLETE

1usher noun [ORIGIN: ME ussher, fr. MF ussier, fr. (assumed) VL ustiarius doorkeeper, fr. L ostium, ustium door, mouth of a river]

1 : an officer who walks before a person of rank

2 : one who escorts people to their seats (as in a church or theater)

2usher verb 1 : to conduct to a place

2 : to precede as an usher, forerunner, or harbinger

3 : INAUGURATE, INTRODUCE <~ in a new era>

Synonyms

conduct, direct, guide, lead, marshal, pilot, route, show, steer—more at LEAD

ush·er·ette noun : a girl or woman who is an usher (as in a theater)

USIA abbreviation United States Information Agency

USMC abbreviation United States Marine Corps

USN abbreviation United States Navy

USO abbreviation United Service Organizations

USP abbreviation United States Pharmacopeia

USPS abbreviation United States Postal Service

USS abbreviation United States ship

USSR abbreviation Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

usu abbreviation usual; usually

usu·al adjective 1 : accordant with usage, custom, or habit

2 : commonly or ordinarily used

3 : of a kind to be expected in the normal order of events : ORDINARY

Synonyms

[2] conventional, current, customary, popular, standard, stock—more at CURRENT

[3] average, common, commonplace, everyday, normal, ordinary, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, standard, unexceptional, unremarkable, workaday—more at ORDINARY

usu·al·ly adverb : more often than not : as a rule

Synonyms

commonly, generally, naturally, normally, ordinarily, typically—more at NATURALLY

usu·fruct noun [ORIGIN: L ususfructus, fr. usus et fructus use and enjoyment]

: the legal right to use and enjoy the benefits and profits of something belonging to another

usu·rer noun : one that lends money esp. at an exorbitant rate

usu·ri·ous adjective : practicing, involving, or constituting usury

usurp verb [ORIGIN: ME, fr. AF usorper, fr. L usurpare, to take possession of without legal claim, fr. usu (abl. of usus use) + rapere to seize]

: to seize and hold by force or without right <~ a throne>

— usur·pa·tion noun

— usurp·er noun

Synonyms

appropriate, arrogate, commandeer, preempt—more at APPROPRIATE

usu·ry noun, plural -ries 1 : the lending of money with an interest charge for its use

2 : an excessive rate or amount of interest charged; especially : interest above an established legal rate

UT abbreviation Utah

Ute noun, plural Ute or Utes : a member of an American Indian people orig. ranging through Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico

uten·sil noun [ORIGIN: ME, vessels for domestic use, fr. MF utensile, fr. L utensilia, fr. neut. pl. of utensilis useful, fr. uti to use]

1 : an instrument or vessel used in a household and esp. a kitchen

2 : a useful tool

Synonyms

device, implement, instrument, tool—more at IMPLEMENT

uter·us noun, plural uter·us·es or uteri : the muscular organ of a female mammal in which the young develop before birth

— uter·ine adjective

utile adjective : USEFUL

uti·lise British variant of UTILIZE

1utilitarian noun : a person who believes in utilitarianism

2utilitarian adjective 1 : of or relating to utilitarianism

2 : of or relating to utility : aiming