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usefulness

A2
noun

Pronunciation

UK

  • /jˈuːsfəlnəs/

US

  • /ˈjusfəlnəs/

Description

Usefulness describes how much value something has when you need to do a task or solve a problem. A Swiss Army knife is known for its usefulness because it gives you many tools in one small object. It is not only about whether something can be used, but whether it truly helps in a real situation. Something can be beautiful but have little usefulness, like a fancy sculpture that has no practical job. On the other hand, something plain, like a sturdy work boot, can have a lot of usefulness. The situation matters too: a hammer has great usefulness for a carpenter, while a brush has more usefulness for a painter.

Examples

  1. 1

    Power outage

    The usefulness of a small flashlight becomes obvious when the power goes out.

  2. 2

    Language learning

    The teacher showed us the usefulness of learning whole phrases, not just single words.

  3. 3

    Limited value

    This report may be interesting, but its usefulness is limited without recent data.

  4. 4

    Medical research

    Doctors are studying the usefulness of the test for younger patients.

  5. 5

    Workplace training

    At first I doubted the workshop, but its usefulness became clear once I started the job.

Forms and spellings

2 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • usefulnessnoun

Forms

  • usefulnessespluralnoun