or at least it should be. that’s not even a useful word. it’s a word people use when they want to appear smarter than they really are. here’s an example:
there are many tips and tricks that i utilize when i’m brainstorming a drum part.
wrong! here’s the same example again (note the difference):
there are many tips and tricks that i use when i’m brainstorming a drum part.
correct! i’m not saying that the first sentence is grammatically incorrect…it’s just stupid. here’s what dictionary.com has to say about my wordy nemesis:
A number of critics have remarked that utilize is an unnecessary substitute for use. It is true that many occurrences of utilize could be replaced by use with no loss to anything but pretentiousness, for example, in sentences such as They utilized questionable methods in their analysis or We hope that many commuters will continue to utilize mass transit after the bridge has reopened. But utilize can mean “to find a profitable or practical use for.” Thus the sentence The teachers were unable to use the new computers might mean only that the teachers were unable to operate the computers, whereas The teachers were unable to utilize the new computers suggests that the teachers could not find ways to employ the computers in instruction.
wrong! on top of being wrong, this word sounds totally made up to my ears. like someone wanted to invent a more verbose and cerebral way of saying “use”. just don’t utilize this word anymore.
oh crap…
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