Do you know how to use a computer? We could use your help. She uses so many big words, it’s hard to understand her. Synonyms for USES: utilizes, applies, employs, exploits, operates, harnesses, exercises, draws on; Antonyms of USES: ignores, neglects, misuses, misapplies, disuses, nonuses, dislikes, hatreds to take unfair advantage of; exploit. to use people to gain one's own ends. to drink, smoke, or ingest habitually. to use drugs. to habituate or accustom. Archaic. to practice habitually or customarily; make a practice of. USES definition: plural of use. and present tense form of use (3rd person singular). See examples of uses used in a sentence. Define uses. uses synonyms, uses pronunciation, uses translation, English dictionary definition of uses. v. used , us·ing , us·es v. tr. 1. To put into service or employ for a purpose: I used a whisk to beat the eggs. Understanding the distinction between uses and use is crucial in both written and spoken English. Uses is often associated with lists or discussions of multiple functions, and use is employed when referring to the general act of using something or a specific instance of it being used. Note: Uses originated in early English law and were the origin of the modern trust. Uses became popular in medieval England, where they were often secretly employed as a method of evading laws (as those prohibiting mortmain) and penalties (as attainder) and to defeat creditors. A food processor has a variety of uses in the kitchen. Can you find a use for this box? If you say that someone uses people, you disapprove of them because they make others do things for them in order to benefit or gain some advantage from it, and not because they care about the other people. This handout explains the most common uses of three kinds of punctuation: semicolons (;), colons (:), and dashes (—). After reading the handout, you will be better able to decide when to use these forms of punctuation in your own writing.