utility
/juːˈtɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /juːˈtɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /yü-ˈti-lə-tē/ (ame, mw) · /juːˈtɪl.ə.ti/ (bre, ipa) · /juːˈtɪl.ə.t̬i/ (ame, ipa)
utility — noun
- utilitysingular
- utilitiesplural
1. essential services including water, gas, and electricity that homes and business
essential services including water, gas, and electricity that homes and businesses depend on for daily living.
After the storm, the utilities in the neighborhood took three days to fully restore.
plural form 'utilities' for services
Our monthly rent does not include utilities, so we pay extra for electricity and water.
The new housing development includes all major utilities like gas, water, and electricity.
Landlords in this city must provide basic utilities such as heating and running water.
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'utilities' when referring to services. The singular 'a utility' more often refers to a company (sense 2).
常見錯誤
2. a business that supplies electricity, natural gas, or water to homes and busines
a business that supplies electricity, natural gas, or water to homes and businesses in a particular area.
Diego called the utility to report a gas leak outside his house.
The local utility raised its electricity rates for the third time this year.
collocation: utility rates
The city hired a private utility to manage its water treatment plant.
Government regulators set limits on how much a utility can charge its customers.
- public utility
more formal term that emphasises the company's public-service role
- provider
broader; can also refer to internet or phone companies
用法筆記
Can be shortened to 'the utility' when the context is clear. Often used with company names: 'the power utility', 'the water utility'.
3. the quality or degree of being helpful, practical, or effective for a particular
the quality or degree of being helpful, practical, or effective for a particular purpose.
Arjun questioned the utility of buying a new tablet when his laptop worked perfectly.
pattern: utility of + noun/gerund
Sofia realised the utility of speaking basic Spanish while travelling through Mexico.
The utility of foldable furniture became clear when we moved into a tiny apartment.
Critics questioned the long-term utility of building a dam in that fragile ecosystem.
- usefulness
more everyday word, interchangeable in most contexts
- practicality
focuses on how workable or convenient something is in real use
- value
broader; can include monetary or emotional worth
- uselessness
the state of having no practical purpose
用法筆記
Uncountable noun — do not say 'a utility' or 'utilities' when using this sense. Often followed by 'of + noun/gerund'.
常見錯誤
4. the system of pipes, cables, wires, and equipment that carries services such as
the system of pipes, cables, wires, and equipment that carries services such as water, electricity, or gas into and around buildings.
The city is upgrading its underground utilities to prevent flooding during heavy rain.
collocation: underground utilities
A construction crew accidentally hit the gas utilities while digging for a new water line.
The old building's utilities were so outdated that the entire system had to be replaced.
Maps showing the location of buried utilities help workers avoid damaging pipes and cables.
- infrastructure
broader term that includes roads, bridges, and other public works
- pipelines
more specific; refers only to pipes, not cables or wires
用法筆記
Used in the plural form to describe the physical network. Related to sense 1 but focuses on the physical infrastructure rather than the service itself.
5. a computer program that performs a specific maintenance, management, or support
a computer program that performs a specific maintenance, management, or support task, such as cleaning files, checking for errors, or compressing data.
Viktor downloaded a disk cleanup utility to free up space on his laptop.
collocation: disk cleanup utility
Layla used a file compression utility to send a large video to her editor.
The backup utility runs automatically every night to save all work files to the cloud.
Many free antivirus utilities can scan your computer for harmful software quickly.
用法筆記
Countable noun. Often combined with a modifier that describes the task: 'backup utility', 'disk utility', 'security utility'. In computing contexts, sometimes shortened to just 'utility'.
utility — adjective
- utilitypositive
- more utilitycomparative
- most utilitysuperlative
1. describing a sports player who is skilled enough to play multiple roles on a tea
describing a sports player who is skilled enough to play multiple roles on a team effectively.
Kofi is a utility player who can fill in at shortstop, second base, or outfield.
collocation: utility player
The coach valued Yuna as a utility player because she could cover three different positions.
Tran made the team as a utility infielder, ready to step in wherever needed during the season.
Zola practiced at three different positions during spring training to earn a utility role.
- specialist
a player who excels at only one position
用法筆記
Used before a noun describing a sports role: utility player, utility infielder, utility man. Common in baseball, basketball, and soccer.
2. designed or able to be used for many different tasks or functions rather than ju
designed or able to be used for many different tasks or functions rather than just one.
Omar bought a utility knife that could cut cardboard, plastic, and rope easily.
collocation: utility knife
Imran's utility vehicle carried passengers during the week and building supplies on weekends.
collocation: utility vehicle
Deepa chose a utility bag with many compartments for carrying her camera gear while hiking.
The utility sink in the garage is strong enough to wash paint brushes and garden tools.
- multi-purpose
interchangeable but more explicit about the multiple functions
- all-purpose
emphasises suitability for a wide range of tasks
- specialised
designed for one specific function
用法筆記
Used before a noun to describe an object built for multiple uses. Common compounds: utility knife, utility vehicle (SUV), utility bag, utility sink, utility room.
常見錯誤
3. made to be practical and useful rather than decorative, attractive, or fashionab
made to be practical and useful rather than decorative, attractive, or fashionable.
Lucia chose a simple utility jacket with deep pockets instead of a designer coat.
collocation: utility jacket
The furniture in the rental apartment was purely utility, with no style or decoration.
Santi prefers utility clothing that is durable and comfortable over trendy fashion items.
The kitchen had utility shelving made of plain metal, designed to hold heavy pots and pans.
- functional
the closest synonym; slightly less specific to the utility-versus-fashion contrast
- practical
broader term; can describe anything convenient or sensible
- utilitarian
more formal, often describes a design philosophy
- decorative
made primarily for appearance rather than use
- ornamental
designed to be attractive rather than practical
用法筆記
Often used to describe clothing, furniture, or architecture that prioritises function over form. Can carry a slightly negative tone if something is described as 'purely utility' (lacking beauty).