The phase to make use of has several shades of meaning, and each shade has synonyms that will be more or less appropriate for your writing goal. At AgencyHub, we’re driven by details, and part of that is caring enough to use exactly the right word every time!
What Is Another Word for Make Use Of?
Deciding on the right synonym involves three steps. First, know which meaning of the phrase you want to use. Then, choose from the available synonyms. Finally, doublecheck that you’re not using the wrong phrase by reviewing what the phrase does not mean.
1. How Are You Using the Phrase?
Make us of has several shades of meaning. Here are a few of them:
To Take Advantage of the Characteristics of Something
This is the simplest use of the phrase, and it carries no negative or positive connotation. You’ve just got a thing, and that thing has some characteristics that make it useful in a certain context. For example:
- She made use of the available banking app to deposit that check on her phone.
To Take Advantage of Something Expoitaitively
This use of the phrase has a negative connotation. For example:
- I’m sick of the boss making use of our personal vehicles for company errands.
To Accept Something Temporarily/Accept a Gift Gladly
You can use this phrase to talk about something loaned for temporary use or a gift that the recipient is happy to have. In this usage, we typically qualify the phrase in some way. Consider an example, where the qualifying words are in bold:
- My brother’s letting me make use of his car while I’m here.
To Use Something Up Completely
Sometimes, this phrase means that you’re using up all of something:
- All the people in our company are being made use of on this project.
2. Choose Your Synonym
Choose the shade of meaning you want from below, and then choose one of the synonyms provided. Just be sure to change the form of the word or phrase as needed so it makes sense in the sentence, and never use fancy words just to be fancy or sound smart. That strategy usually backfires!
To Take Advantage of the Characteristics of Something
- Employ
- Utilize
- Use
- Operate (only when the thing being used requires active manipulation or direction)
- Wield (usually in reference to weapons or tools)
- Acquire
To Take Advantage of Something Expoitaitively
- Avail one’s self of
- Capitalize on
- Abuse
- Exploit
- Take advantage of
- Impose
To Accept Something Temporarily/Accept a Gift Gladly
- Have the loan of
- Borrow
- Use
- Have access to
- Enjoy
To Use Something Up Completely
- Go/went through (for uncountable nouns and multiple items)
- Squander (when speaking negatively)
- Spend
- Finish
- Use
- Waste (when speaking negatively)
3. What Does the Phrase NOT Mean?
Remember that this phrase is not just a fancy way of saying use. Using utilize or make use of in a sentence when use is the correct term makes writing look silly and jargon-laden, and while writers tend to do this because they think it shows they have a big vocabulary, it actually signals the opposite. Consider these three nuanced meanings:
- To use something is to bring it into service or handle it
- To utilize is to use something in a new, unusual, or particularly profitable way
- To make use of something is to specifically take advantage of a characteristic it has
Use can be a synonym for the other two, but you can’t automatically substitute utilize or make use of for use. Consider three examples:
Can I use the phone to call my mom?
The best word here is use. Utilize would be completely incorrect since phones are designed to make calls. There’s nothing unusual or special about using a phone to make a call. Make use of would be ok here, since you’re taking advantage of the phone’s characteristics to accomplish something, but it’s an overly wordy way to express yourself and not really necessary.
Young people often know how to utilize technology in ways older people do not.
Here, utilize is a great word because it conveys an implication: young people know how to use technology in new, unique, or profitable ways, whereas older people are less flexible and creative with their use of tech. Make use of would also be ok, but since it’s not the characteristics of the tech but the creativity of the users that’s being discussed, utilize is still the better word.
Could we make use of your gym for volleyball practice?
Here, utilize would be the wrong word. Gyms are made for sports teams to practice in, so there’s nothing unusual or special about this. The word use is also ok, but since this is clearly a special request (note that the request is what’s special, not the way the space will be used), make use of is a particularly good choice because it implies the speaker is asking for a loan or favor.
At AgencyHub, we know that using the right words in your marketing outreach, social media posts, blog content, and on your website enhances your reputation and increases trust and engagement. Using the wrong words sends the wrong message about you. When it matters what people think about you, contact AgencyHub for an array of high-quality services that will enhance your reputation and SEO.
