Are you Using “Utilize” Incorrectly?

Vocabulary is prone to a lot of change, evolution, and in some cases, simple misunderstanding. There are plenty of words that are used in everyday language that may not actually be appropriate or grammatically sound, but we accept the word—especially in casual conversation—because as long as it gets the point across, that’s the more important thing.

But when it comes to more formal writing, such as for publication or instruction, we need to reach for and maintain a higher standard. Communication is, after all, about the transmission of ideas, and grammatical standards and agreed upon definitions are the bedrock on which communication depends. If everyone has a different idea of what words are supposed to mean and how they are used, things would quickly break down.

That’s why it’s important once in a while stop, look at language and the things people do with it, and try to correct the course when it starts to stray.

The difference between the words “use” and “utilize” is one of those times.

According to most dictionaries, the word “use” is defined as “to take, hold or deploy something as a means of accomplishing a purpose, or achieving a result.” Because “use” is such a basic word that most people are familiar with, it seems like a fairly long-winded explanation to get at describing the word’s function without using the word itself.

However, when you get to the definition of the word “utilize,” this is usually defined as “to make use of, turn to practical use or account.”

That sounds like the same thing, but actually it isn’t.

In practical terms, the word “utilize” is pretty much the same as the slang term to “MacGyver” something.

In practical terms, the word “utilize” is pretty much the same as the slang term to “MacGyver” something. That slang term is derived from the 80s American TV series about the eponymous hero who could take unlikely household objects and turn them into everything from battering rams to smoke bombs.

Utilize, in other words, means taking something from its intended purpose and finding a way to employ it some other useful but unintended way. A fitness ball may be utilized as an emergency life preserver in the event of a flood, and a kitchen table may be utilized as an office desk in your home during an impromptu session of figuring out income taxes. But utilizing a hamburger for lunch is the same as saying, “I have found a new and original way for people to take advantage of this prepared meal, and it is as… a prepared meal.”

The word “utilize” is a much more specific form of the concept of using, and although it may sound fancier and more impressive in conversation or language, but for people in the know, this is a frequently misused word, and it stands out when it is misused.

When in doubt, the much simpler word “use” is always going to be correct. Not everything can be “utilized,” but everything can be “used,” so always stick to the simpler word and you’ll be in the clear. Don’t try to impress if you’re not sure about the language you’re using.

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