usefulness
gb/jˈusfəlnəs/ us/jˈusfəlnəs/
B2
English
~ 8800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
property
1
the quality of being useful
How useful or helpful something is for a goal or task.
Usage pattern:
the usefulness of [something] for [a purpose]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "usefulness" with "use" and say *"the use of this tool is that it is easy"* when they really mean its practical value; in that case, "the usefulness of this tool" fits better. Another common error is treating "usefulness" as countable (e.g., *"many usefulnesses"*); it is almost always used as an uncountable noun ("the usefulness of", "its usefulness").
Synonyms
utility (Slightly more formal and often used in technical or academic contexts for practical usefulness.)
|
value (Broader; can include emotional, financial, or moral worth, not only practical usefulness.)
|
helpfulness (Focuses more on how something helps a person rather than its general practical function.)
Antonyms
uselessness (Direct opposite; the state of not being useful at all.)
|
pointlessness (Emphasizes that something has no purpose or reason, and therefore no usefulness.)
Collocations
practical usefulness
|limited usefulness
|assess the usefulness
|demonstrate the usefulness
|prove its usefulness
|question the usefulness
Themes
work
|education
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We need to evaluate the usefulness of this new software before buying it for the whole team.
- The report casts doubt on the usefulness of the current safety guidelines.
- Teachers questioned the usefulness of giving so much homework to young children.
- Her research showed the practical usefulness of the device in remote areas.
- After a year, the manager realized the limited usefulness of the expensive tracking system.
Learner examples
- The usefulness of this tool is very clear to me.
- I do not see the usefulness of learning this rule.
- They tested the usefulness of the new app in real life.
- We talked about the usefulness of exercise for our health.
- The teacher explained the usefulness of taking notes in class.
Grammar
Dictionary form
usefulness
IPA
GB/jˈusfəlnəs/
US/jˈusfəlnəs/
Syllables & stress
use - ful - ness (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (use)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: usefulness
- Plural: usefulness, usefulnesses
Word family
Forms
usefulnesses
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.