utilize

(yūt'l-īz')
tr.v., -ized, -iz·ing, -iz·es.
To put to use, especially to find a profitable or practical use for. See synonyms at use.

[French utiliser, from Italian utilizzare, from utile, useful, from Latin ūtilis, from ūtī, to use.]

utilizable u'til·iz'a·ble adj.
utilization u'til·i·za'tion (-ĭ-zā'shən) n.
utilizer u'til·iz'er n.

USAGE NOTE   A number of critics have remarked that utilize is an unnecessary substitute for use. It is true that many occurrences of utilize could be replaced by use with no loss to anything but pretentiousness, for example, in sentences such as They utilized questionable methods in their analysis or We hope that many commuters will continue to utilize mass transit after the bridge has reopened. But utilize can mean "to find a profitable or practical use for." Thus the sentence The teachers were unable to use the new computers might mean only that the teachers were unable to operate the computers, whereas The teachers were unable to utilize the new computers suggests that the teachers could not find ways to employ the computers in instruction.

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This 19th century loanword has led a precarious life for a century and a half beside the much older word use (13th century). In many contexts use is adequate and preferable, but a case can be made out for utilize when the emphasis is on practicality and effective exploitation:

Fewer victims meant fewer death sentences and so executioners in the provinces retired and, utilizing their professionally acquired anatomical skills, became surgeons' assistants or animal doctors—G. Abbott, 1991.

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verb

To put into action or use: actuate, apply, employ, exercise, exploit, implement, practice, use. Idioms: avail oneself of, bring into play, bring to bear, make use of, put into practice, put to use. See used/unused.

IN BRIEF: To use.

The company will utilize only one-fourth of its revenue to pay back its investors.

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n

1. the extent to which a given group uses a particular service in a specified period of time. Although usually expressed as the number of services used per year per 100 or per 1,000 persons eligible for the service, utilization rates may be expressed in other ratios. 2. the extent to which the members of a covered group use a program over a stated time, specifically measured as a percentage determined by dividing the number of covered individuals who submitted one or more claims by the total number of covered individuals.

See words rhyming with "utilizer."

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - benytte, udnytte, anvende

Nederlands (Dutch)
benutten

Français (French)
v. tr. - utiliser, exploiter (des ressource)

Deutsch (German)
v. - nutzen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - χρησιμοποιώ, αξιοποιώ, εκμεταλλεύομαι

Italiano (Italian)
utilizzare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - utilizar

Русский (Russian)
использовать, утилизировать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - utilizar, hacer uso de, aprovechar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - utnyttja, dra nytta av, använda, tillvarata

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
利用

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 利用

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 사용하다, ~에 요긴하게 써먹다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 利用する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) استخدم, استعمل, انتفع ب‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮ניצל, הפיק תועלת מן, יישם בצורה מועילה‬

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