The words “use” and “usage” are often used in the same way by many English speakers (both native speakers and ESL learners). The meanings of these two words do overlap sometimes, but they are not true synonyms. The word “use” has many more meanings and applications than the word “usage.” Some people use the word “usage” as though it were just a fancier form of the word “use,” but this is not the best way to use the word. In general, if either “use” or “usage” seems like it could work in a sentence the best choice is probably “use” as this is a more commonly used word with more meanings. The word “use” can in fact be either a noun or a verb and in many dictionaries this word has over 15 different definitions! On the other hand, the word “usage” is always a noun and the majority of time has a meaning related to a ‘customary’ or ‘habitual’ nature. Here are some of the most common definitions for these two words.
use:
(n) the act of using, employing or putting into service
Example: The use of tools was a major advancement for humans.
(n) what something is used for
The paint brush is of use to the painter.
(v) to put into service; to make work
Example: Please use the machine to wash your clothes.
(v) take or consume
Example: My grandmother used all of her medicine and needs more.
usage:
(n) accepted or habitual practice
Example: The manager always reviews the usage of benefits.
(n) the customary manner in which a language (or a form of a language) is spoken or written
Example: The English usage of the word “the” is different from other languages.
In general when thinking about how these words are different it is helpful to keep in mind that the term “usage” refers to conventions or patterns and often refers to language or words and how they are used, accepted, and understood. The word “use” has a much broader meaning and is found in more contexts. In my opinion, when in doubt, use the word “use.”
If you are looking for more tools to use to learn English be sure to check out all that Transparent Language offers English language learners!
Though the meaning of two words ‘use’ and ‘usage’ overlap to some extent, they cannot be used as synonyms.
Majority of peoples assumes that ‘usage’ is a more formal form of ‘use’ and use ‘usage’ to make their written work more elegant. It is important to know that both of these words cannot be used as synonyms.
Key Takeaways
- Use refers to utilizing something for a particular purpose or task.
- Usage refers to how something is used or the customary manner in which it is employed.
- While use is a verb, usage is a noun that denotes the frequency or manner in which something is used.
The difference between ‘use’ and ‘usage’ is their meaning itself. ‘Use’ refer to the state of being used whereas ‘usage’ refers to a habitual practice in which a language or a form of language is spoken.
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The term ‘use’ in the English language is both verb and noun. Oxford dictionary defines the term ‘use’ as a verb which means to hold, deploy, employ, or take something as a means of achieving or accomplishing something.
In simple words, ‘use’ refer to the employment or utilization of something for a specific purpose or function.
The term ‘usage’ in the English language is a noun that is generally used in relation to a language or form of language. The majority of people use this noun to make their writing work elegant and sophisticated.
‘Usage’ gives any sentence a required sense of continuity.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Use | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | Use is both verbs as well as a noun. | Usage is a noun. |
| Meaning | To take, employ, deploy, or hold anything as a means of achieving or accomplishing something is referred to as ‘Use’. | The term ‘usage’ is defined as the custom practice or habitual practice especially as creating an obligation, right, or standard. |
| Origin | The term ‘use’ is originated from the Latin word ‘uti’ which means to make use of. | The term ‘usage’ is originally rooted in the word ‘use’. |
| Usage | The word ‘use’ is used in both formal and informal practices. | The word ‘usage’ is generally used in formal practice. |
| Application | The application of the term ‘use’ is unlimited. | The application of the term ‘usage’ is limited. |
| Example | I use mobile banking to avoid cash transactions.This fruit has various medicinal uses. | The usage of Air conditioner spikes after May.The high level of air conditioner usage is one of the reasons for ozone layer depletion. |
What is Use?
To take, employ, deploy, or hold anything as a means of achieving or accomplishing something is referred to as ‘Use’.
the word ‘use’ can be used in a number of ways- treat someone in a specific way, exploit any situation for one’s own advantage, apply a title to oneself or take or concur an amount from a limited supply.
The word ‘use’ is derived from the past participle stem of the Latin word ‘uti’ which means ‘to make use of profit by’, ‘to take advantage of’, or enjoy, and the old Latin word ‘oeti’ which means to employ, to exercise, and to perform something.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the term ‘use’ is most commonly used as a verb which means to hold, take, or deploy something for a purpose.
A similar word to ‘use’ is utilized or employ, on the other hand, as a noun, ‘use’ gives several meanings. It can refer to as-
- The sate of being used for a purpose
For example- Use of solar energy can save electricity.
- Value of benefit of something
For example- This book is of no use for English users.
- Habitual consumption of something
For example- Use of drugs has increased in the rural regions.
What is Usage?
The term ‘usage’ is defined as the custom practice or habitual practice especially as creating an obligation, right, or standard. A similar word for ‘usage’ is practice, custom, and habits.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the term ‘usage’ is most commonly used as a noun that is generally used in relation to a language or a form of language spoken.
The majority of people tend to use this noun to make their writing piece of work more attractive and elegant. It can also be used in the following instance-
- The state of being used
For example- Since there was a shortage of water, the public was asked to reduce water usage.
- The habitual manner in which a language is spoken
For example- Different religions have different usage of this phrase.
Main Differences Between Use and Usage
- Use is both verbs as well as a noun while Usage is a noun.
- To take, employ, deploy, or hold anything as a means of achieving or accomplishing something is referred to as ‘Use’. As against, The term ‘usage’ is defined as the custom practice or habitual practice especially as creating an obligation, right, or standard.
- The term ‘use’ is originated from the Latin word ‘uti’ which means to make use of. On the other hand, The term ‘usage’ is originally rooted in the word ‘use’.
- The word ‘use’ is used in both formal and informal practices. Whereas, The word ‘usage’ is generally used in formal practice.
- The application of the term ‘use’ is unlimited. On the other hand, The application of the term ‘usage’ is limited.
- Example of ‘use’-
- This fruit has various medicinal uses.
Example of ‘usage’-
- The usage of Air conditioner spikes after May.
- The high level of air conditioner usage is one of the reasons for ozone layer depletion.
References
- https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037/0022-3514.77.6.1296
- https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/02640470910934579/full/html
Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
• Categorized under Words | Difference Between Usage and Use
Usage vs Use
One shouldn’t get confused with the differences between the terms “usage” and “use.” Although “usage” is originally rooted from the word “use,” the two still have some subtle distinctions that must be made clear due to their importance.
“Use,” in its noun form, is actually taken from its verb form “use,” which means “to employ or utilize something for a specific function or purpose.” An example is, “I use my bag to carry my stuff to school every day.” Next, when interpreting the word “use” as a noun like in the sentence, “What’s the use of that notebook if you’re not going to write anything in it during your class?” The term is actually referring to the worth or given application or purpose of a particular object at that given time. So it is the same as asking “What’s the purpose or worth of the notebook?”
The term “usage,” on the other hand, has a definition that’s not too far from the word “use.” It is actually almost the same with the latter. The only difference in terms of the definition is the sense of continuity or commonness of something that is attached to the term “usage.” In most sentence structures, the noun form “usage” is more appropriate than using “use” in its noun sense because the former seems to be more formal sounding. An example of using the term “usage” in a sentence is, “In general usage, the words ‘lady’ and ‘woman’ are the same.”
Another example is the sentence, “The usage of this weapon is more of a melee type as compared to the rest which are mostly ranged.” It is almost as if you are saying that the weapon being specified is, by custom, commonly used as a melee weapon rather than as a ranged type of weapon. When asking about the use of parts of speech, like verbs, it is more appropriate to say “What’s the usage of verbs in the sentence?” rather than asking “What’s the use of verbs in the sentence?” It is because verbs will always and continuously be used as such in sentences.
Summary:
1.The term ”usage” is always a noun while “use” can either be a verb or a noun.
2.“Use” is more popularly used as a verb (no matter what kind of tense) than as a noun.
3.“Usage” has an added sense of continuity or commonness attached to something.
4.“Usage” is a more specialized word that is often used in formal practice. By convention and custom, it is more acceptable to use “usage” than the noun form of “use.”
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When should one use usage instead of use? Examples?
RegDwigнt
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asked Jul 18, 2011 at 10:55
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I tend to agree with Peter Shor:
The word prevarication is not in common use.
But:
The word prevarication is not common usage.
(A sentence that presumably refers to some previous use of prevarication in a non-standard way.) Note how dropping the preposition changes the context of the phrase.
A question that can be asked is whether usage has any really useful use, other than for pedants.
Marthaª
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answered Dec 14, 2011 at 15:36
ClayClay
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Usage is how something is used; the fact of something being used is use; the degree to which something is used is utilization.
The word prevarication is not in common usage.
The use of safety belts is mandatory.
The utilization of safety belts has reached 70%.
pyobum
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answered Jul 18, 2011 at 11:10
Michael LortonMichael Lorton
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I thought to excerpt this article because it mentions the etymology, and concludes by using use and usage in the same sentence.
https://coachdes.wordpress.com/2005/10/24/english-use-and-usage/:
What is the difference between ‘use’ and usage’? Both come from the same Latin word usus (noun), which in turn is from the verb uti — to use. So how do they differ?
The difference is subtle but useful.
The noun ‘use’ comes from the verb ‘use’, meaning to employ for a
given purpose or put into action, and larger dictionaries will list
many variations and adaptations of that basic meaning. Examples are:
‘I use a keyboard to type in these words’ ‘I use a knife and
fork to eat my dinner’, ‘I use short words in speaking with small
children, because they probably won’t understand long words’. So
the noun ‘use’ (with the ‘s’ as in ‘goose’, not, as for the verb, as
in ‘cruise’) means a given purpose or application. Examples would be:
‘The English language is in common use around the world’ , ‘I put
my keyboard to good use’.For the noun ‘usage’ the basic dictionary definition can look
pretty much the same as that for ‘use’, but with ‘usage’ there is a
sense of ‘continued’ or ‘common’ use. And with language, the
distinction is that ‘usage’ is the way the language is actually used,
as distinct from what might look correct if you try to construct a
sentence or phrase from a dictionary and grammar book. Examples would
be: ‘Although old-fashioned grammarians say you should never split
an infinitive, that is done every day in common usage.’ and ‘I
was taught at school that every sentence must have a verb, but actual
usage shows that many excellent writers include in their work
‘sentences’ without verbs, such as ‘His arrival at any gathering was
always a dramatic event. Bold. Arresting.’How useful is this distinction? Well, in everyday life it probably
doesn’t have a lot of application, but for me it is an interesting
distinction, partly because of the origin of the words. As indicated
above, both use and usage come to us from the Latin
usus, but usage has arrived via Old French, from the 14th century AD.But there is a very practical consideration here.
Anyone who wants to be a highly confident, fluent speaker of English
would do well to develop an insatiable curiosity to know the
appropriate usage, which is a way of employing language at a
higher level than technically correct use.For those who want to have a ready reference on this subject, I
recommend The New Fowler’s Modern English Usage.
answered Mar 29, 2015 at 15:20
2
Usage is also more commonly used than use to specify a quantity; for example, electricity usage.
tchrist♦
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answered Jan 3, 2013 at 20:08
GnubieGnubie
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Usage: rules of language
-
Use: meaningful communicative behavior
tchrist♦
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answered Apr 22, 2013 at 13:57
Usage: rules of language
Use: meaningful communicative behaviour
The term usage refers to conventions, most often to those of language. Thus, ‘English usage’ or ‘French usage’ refers to the conventions of those languages, respectively. When we refer to ‘word usage’, we mean the conventions for using words; when we refer to ‘use of words’, we mean only the employment of words: ‘This text describes the principles of word usage’. ‘He is noted for his frequent use of wrong words’.
People frequently use usage when they should use use. The noun usage should not be substituted for use when the meaning is ‘the employment of’ – even if you think it sounds more ‘sophisticated’. It is not correct to say that «the wise usage of computers saved the company money» or ‘usage of insulation can save fuel’. In both instances, use is the appropriate word.
http://www.grammarmudge.cityslide.com/articles/article/992333/8566.htm
answered Sep 8, 2015 at 8:02
Usage of is used more for plural/non-plural quantity:
It tracks mobile usage of the Netflix app in 30 international regions including India, Brazil, the UK, and Malaysia, where it has a sample size that makes up a statistically significant portion of the local device population. It also tracks usage of the Netflix app in the US, but Android devices are the minority there and the data capture a snapshot of overall usage.
-Business Insider
https://lengusa.com/search/usage%20of
use of is more like for ‘using’
Theresa May said there was “no practicable alternative to the use of force” to stop the use of alleged use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad, as the UK joined the US and France in launching strikes against targets in Syria associated with the use of such substances.
-Independent
https://lengusa.com/search/use%20of
When you search them alone, usage is more like ‘being used’
Lidl UK said its animal-welfare policy banned routine usage of antibiotics and its suppliers were required to monitor usage through adherence to the Red Tractor scheme’s antibiotic use standards. A spokesman said: “We are committed to meeting sector targets and fully support the disclosure of antibiotic usage. —
Independent
https://lengusa.com/search/usage
and use has so many meanings.
https://lengusa.com/search/use
answered Jan 26, 2021 at 15:07
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#1
Hi!
Could anyone tell me the difference between «use» and «usage», if there’s any?
Thanks!
-
#2
LL, you must provide a sample sentence as well as context and background.
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#3
Hi bilbiolept,
Sorry for not giving any context, but it’d fit in any context, because the translation of both words is the same in Spanish, «uso», and I don’t know if there’s any difference in English. So, in any context…
Thanks!
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#4
Can you write a sentence and include either «use» or «usage» and then we can tell you whether you have chosen the right word and explain the difference if need be.
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#5
Hi!
For example, this sentence:
«The placement of the profile sheets shall comply with all the usage and security rules established by the project, the Engineer and the manufacturer.»
Thank you!
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#6
I believe both «usage» or «use» are both possible in your sentence.
In the context of your sentence hey are the act of using something/someone.
«Use» can have many other meanings: http://www.wordreference.com/definition/use (number three is the how you have used the word)
One important difference with the word «use» is that the pronounciation differs depending on context. In your sentence if you were to change «usage» to «use» the «s» in «use» is like the «s» in snake, while in the following sentence the «s» is more like a «z» in zoo:
I use one bottle of shampoo every two weeks.
I hope this helps and hopefully some other people can confirm my statements or correct any errors I have made or have not picked up.
Last edited: Mar 31, 2010
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#7
Wow! Thanks for the tip regarding the pronunciation!
I actually understand that I can’t use «usage» every time I can use «use», but does it work the other way around? This is my main doubt, can «usage» always be replaced by «use»?
Thanks again!
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#8
I have been thinking about this for a while and I am pretty sure use can
almost
always replace usage, but as you have acknowledged usage can’t always replace use.
I am sure there are many circumstances where use or usage are both appropriate but one is chosen over the other because the writer/speaker prefers how the sentence sounds.
Have a look at this link, it might help you out, or maybe this one.
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#9
I have been thinking about this for a while and I am pretty sure use can
almost
always replace usage, but as you have acknowledged usage can’t always replace use.
[…]
Hello Tiggie,
I don’t think you can easily replace usage with use, in many linguistic contexts.
A Manual of English Use wouldn’t sell as well as A Manual of English Usage: I would have worries about the idiomatic grasp of the author of the first.
Here’s a very tentative suggestion:
English Usage is the sum of the idioms and verbal habits of English speakers.
English Use is the purpose to which the ability to speak English can be put.
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#10
Thank you!
I think with the answers you gave me I have enough… Thanks!
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#11
TT fair enough — I actually waited half an hour to reply to her Little Littles second question in the hope that someone else would clarify her question.
Can you please check her example sentence and give the correct answer.
«The placement of the profile sheets shall comply with all the usage and security rules established by the project, the Engineer and the manufacturer.»
Also other than english usage vs english use, or the use of words, can you give any other examples or tips on how to know which is appropriate.
Thanks
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#12
So much help! Thanks!
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#13
From another thread on this topic (there are several):
…
Here’s a short guide to «use» vs. «usage.»
The term usage refers to conventions, most often to those of language. Thus, «English usage» or «French usage» refers to the conventions of those languages, respectively. When we refer to «word usage,» we mean the conventions for using words; when we refer to «use of words,» we mean only the employment of words: «This text describes the principles of word usage.» «He is noted for his frequent use of wrong words.
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#14
I remember there used to be an O Level called Use of English. This was an examination in English usage; it was also, I suppose, about the way we used words in English. This forum is concerned with the Use of English in this sense.
It would have been wrong to call it Usage of English, though the examiners might have called it English Usage, without anyone noticing or minding, I suspect.
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#15
I remember Use of English
Here’s a suggestion.
An examination entitled Use of English tests the candidates’ ability to use English.
An examination entitled English Usage tests the candidates’ knowledge of how English is used.
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#16
Of course, I’ve also been in examined in «Use of English», I think it’s the name of the grammar exam used by Cambrige University
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#17
I’ve read the entire thread and other related threads and I’m as confused as ever.
If we have this sentence:
Temporary desks have been provided for usage/use during the renovation period.
Should it be usage or use? I think it’s use because here we’re referring to the employment of the desks. But is it wrong to use usage? Does usage have to strictly refer to either the custom of use or the manner of use?
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#18
I’ve read the entire thread and other related threads and I’m as confused as ever.
If we have this sentence:
Temporary desks have been provided for usage/use during the renovation period.
Should it be usage or use? I think it’s use because here we’re referring to the employment of the desks. But is it wrong to use usage? Does usage have to strictly refer to either the custom of use or the manner of use?
It would normally be use.
We don’t talk of usage much outside linguistic contexts.