SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
utilitarian
adjective
Designed or chosen chiefly for practical usefulness.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Designed for practical use
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topUtilitarian design prioritizes usefulness. Plain and no-frills describe a possible appearance, while pragmatic more often describes an approach or decision.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See utilitarian in use
The utilitarian desk had sturdy drawers and no decorative trim.
A utilitarian shelter beside the fictional playing field was designed chiefly to keep equipment and waiting volunteers dry, with no decorative flourishes added for display.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
- UTILITARIAN Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
- Princeton WordNet 3.0: wn30-a-01090820, wn30-a-02496857
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license