utilise
/ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/
"utilise" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“utilise” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #30,638 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #30,638
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 9
- tracked misspellings
- 2
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make use of; to use.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | utilise |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #30,638 |
| Misspellings tracked | 9 |
| Confusable pairs | 2 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “utilise” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for utilise is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #30,638 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for utilise, with forms such as "tuilise", "uitlise", and "utiilse". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "utility", "utilize", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From French utiliser, from Italian utilizzare, from utile (“useful”), from Latin ūtilis, from ūtī (“use”). Attested c. 1810. The correct English form is utilise, spelled U-T-I-L-I-S-E.
Definition
- 1To make use of; to use.
- 2To make useful; to find a practical use for.
- 3To make best use of; to use to its fullest extent, potential, or ability.
- 4To make do with; to use in manner different from that originally intended
Etymology
From French utiliser, from Italian utilizzare, from utile (“useful”), from Latin ūtilis, from ūtī (“use”). Attested c. 1810.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: tuilise,uitlise,utiilse,utilies,utilisse,utillise,utilsie,utliise,uttilise
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of utilise - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "utilise"?
What does "utilise" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "utilise"?
How do you pronounce "utilise"?
What is the origin of the word "utilise"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “utilise”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is U-T-I-L-I-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “utility” - see the side-by-side comparison. utilise vs utility
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.