utilise

/ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/

//ˈjuːtɪlaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"utilise" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“utilise” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #30,638. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#30,638
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make use of; to use.

Corpus desk

Index EN-utilise · utilise · English

utilise · rank #30,638 · 9 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #30,638
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH USAID

Nearest frequency peer: USAID (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “utilise”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “utilise” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

utilise vs utility
71% similar
utilise vs utilize
86% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for utilise
PropertyValue
Headwordutilise
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/
Letters7
Frequency rank#30,638
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “utilise”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).utiliselands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “USAID” (#30,637), “Valhalla” (#30,639), “Uruguayan” (#30,636). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “utilise” is #30,638. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around utilise (IPA /ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/), averb. Corpus frequency is #30,638 among 1,433 “U” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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

  1. 1
    To make use of; to use.
  2. 2
    To make useful; to find a practical use for.
  3. 3
    To make best use of; to use to its fullest extent, potential, or ability.
  4. 4
    To make do with; to use in manner different from that originally intended

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how utilise appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The bodywork employs, where possible, the same constructional methods as for the standard B.R. coaching stock, in order to utilise existing jigs and press tools.
  2. Since then we have had the opportunity to travel in them and were much impressed by the internal styling and comfort of the seating (with the minor exception of the single seats which have been tucked in longitudinally alongside some of the entrance vestibules and which are so cramped that only the slimmest of female figures could be comfortable in them;…

Etymology

From French utiliser, from Italian utilizzare, from utile (“useful”), from Latin ūtilis, from ūtī (“use”). Attested c. 1810.

Synonyms

employexploituse

This word in other languages

utilizar(Español)se servir de(Français)nutzen(Deutsch)utilizar(Português)

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.

tuilise2uitlise2utiilse2utilies2utilisse1utillise1utilsie2utliise2
Edit distance from "utilise"

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"?
"utilise" is spelled U-T-I-L-I-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/.
What does "utilise" mean?
As a verb, "utilise" means: To make use of; to use.
What words are commonly confused with "utilise"?
"utilise" is commonly confused with "utility", "utilize". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "utilise"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "utilise" is /ˈjuːtɪlaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "utilise"?
From French utiliser, from Italian utilizzare, from utile (“useful”), from Latin ūtilis, from ūtī (“use”). Attested c. 1810. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "utilise", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Vasquez#30,641tensile#30,618workman#30,658sundown#30,608

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

vermin9 variantswhat'd9 variantswidget9 variantsTalmud9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list