util·i·ty
yü-ˈti-lə-tē 
plural utilities
1
: fitness for some purpose or worth to some end
2
: something useful or designed for use
3
a
b(1)
: a service (such as light, power, or water) provided by a public utility
(2)
: equipment or a piece of equipment to provide such service or a comparable service
4
: a program or routine designed to perform or facilitate especially routine operations (such as copying files or editing text) on a computer
1
: capable of serving as a substitute in various roles or positions
a utility infielder
2
a
: kept to provide a useful product or service rather than for show or as a pet
utility livestock
a utility dog
b
: being of a usable but inferior grade
utility beef
3
: serving primarily for utility rather than beauty : utilitarian
4
: designed or adapted for general use
a utility tool
5
: of or relating to a utility
a utility company
Synonyms
Examples of utility in a Sentence
Noun
a plan without much practical utility
Notify the utility if there's an outage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2024
Current utility bill Bank statement Government check Paycheck Birth certificate
What’s not allowed at the polls?
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2024
One of the cars hit an electricity utility box, causing power outages in the area for longer than a day.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 21 Apr. 2024
Responding to a lawsuit last year that Maui County filed against the utility, Hawaiian Electric blamed the county for failing to fully extinguish that fire, which the utility said was reignited and the cause of the blaze that destroyed Lahaina.
—Brianna Sacks and Anumita Kaur The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 21 Apr. 2024
To save their bullpen, the Giants sent utility man Tyler Fitzgerald to the mound in the top of the ninth.
—Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
This utility also lends them as the perfect accessory to shield your face from the sun at the beach, festivals, and beyond.
—Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
The water utility also recently hired its first public information officer to communicate with its customers.
—Silvia Foster-Frau, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
For example, a landlord can decide to increase rent, stop including utilities in rent or begin charging a pet fee.
—Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
Evan Grant, Dallas News, 22 Mar. 2021
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) is the largest tribal multi-utility provider in the U.S.
—Grace Baek, CBS News, 8 May 2020
Nortex operates what Tailwater characterized as the largest portfolio of non-utility gas storage facilities in North Texas.
—Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2022
Vistra, the largest independent, non-utility company, announced closures by 2027 of all seven of its coal-burning plants in the mid-western states.
—Ian Palmer, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2021
The Ravens could not turn to anyone else, because injuries wiped out their insurance tackle, James, and their super-utility lineman, Mekari, within the first nine quarters of the new season.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 26 Sep. 2022
Mekari is the rare super-utility lineman who can fill in ably at all five positions.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2022
Noun
In places like Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada, consumers' utility bills were up by more than 40% in March compared to the same month in 2019, according to the report.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2024
Current utility bill Bank statement Government check Paycheck Birth certificate
What’s not allowed at the polls?
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2024
One of the cars hit an electricity utility box, causing power outages in the area for longer than a day.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 21 Apr. 2024
Responding to a lawsuit last year that Maui County filed against the utility, Hawaiian Electric blamed the county for failing to fully extinguish that fire, which the utility said was reignited and the cause of the blaze that destroyed Lahaina.
—Brianna Sacks and Anumita Kaur The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 21 Apr. 2024
To save their bullpen, the Giants sent utility man Tyler Fitzgerald to the mound in the top of the ninth.
—Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
This utility also lends them as the perfect accessory to shield your face from the sun at the beach, festivals, and beyond.
—Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
The water utility also recently hired its first public information officer to communicate with its customers.
—Silvia Foster-Frau, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
For example, a landlord can decide to increase rent, stop including utilities in rent or begin charging a pet fee.
—Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
Adjective
The super-utility role seems made for him.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 22 Mar. 2021
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) is the largest tribal multi-utility provider in the U.S.
—Grace Baek, CBS News, 8 May 2020
Nortex operates what Tailwater characterized as the largest portfolio of non-utility gas storage facilities in North Texas.
—Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2022
Vistra, the largest independent, non-utility company, announced closures by 2027 of all seven of its coal-burning plants in the mid-western states.
—Ian Palmer, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2021
The Ravens could not turn to anyone else, because injuries wiped out their insurance tackle, James, and their super-utility lineman, Mekari, within the first nine quarters of the new season.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 26 Sep. 2022
Mekari is the rare super-utility lineman who can fill in ably at all five positions.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'utility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near utility
Cite this Entry
“Utility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/utility. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
utility
1 of 2 noun
util·i·ty
yü-ˈtil-ət-ē
plural utilities
1
: the quality or state of being useful : usefulness
2
: something useful or designed for use
3
a
b
: a public service (as power or water) provided by a public utility
4
: a program designed to perform or aid in especially routine actions (as copying files or editing text) on a computer
utility
2 of 2 adjective1
: capable of serving as a substitute in various roles or positions
utility infielder
2
: being of a usable but poor quality
utility beef
3
: serving chiefly for usefulness rather than beauty : utilitarian
4
: designed for general use
utility bag
Legal Definition
utility
noun
util·i·ty
plural utilities
1
: fitness for some purpose or worth to some end
2
a
b
: a service or commodity provided by a public utility
paid for rent and utilities
also
: equipment or material used in providing such a service or commodity
an easement limited to purposes of travel which does not include the right to install utilities —Ware v. Public Serv. Co., 412 A.2d 84 (1980)
Ware v. Public Serv. Co., 412 A.2d 84 (1980) 3
plural
: stocks or bonds of utility companies
utilities performed poorly
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