Meanings
comparative more utilitarian · superlative most utilitarian
- Of or relating to utility.
- ethicsPertaining to utilitarianism.
- Practical and functional, present for use, not just for show.
The semi-streamlined contour of the earlier G.W.R. railcars has been given up in favour of a more utilitarian blunt-nose end, and effective floor space gained thereby.
1941 October, “Notes and News: Great Western Parcels Railcar”, in Railway Magazine, page 4741 more example
These have helped develop a recognition in the industry that bland utilitarian stations do not provide an attractive welcome to the railway, that passengers value stations of character as well as convenience, and that these qualities encourage greater use of trains.
2020 December 2, Anthony Lambert, “Reimagining Railway Stations”, in Rail, pages 38–39
plural utilitarians
- Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Before his companies collapsed, Mr. Bankman-Fried often described himself as a utilitarian — meaning that he made decisions designed to advance the greater good.
2023 October 11, David Yaffe-Bellany, Matthew Goldstein, J. Edward Moreno, “Caroline Ellison Says She and Sam Bankman-Fried Lied for Years”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivehaving a useful function
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From utility + -arian. Coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham as early as 1781, and popularized by his student John Stuart Mill, who mistakenly attributed the term to John Galt.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian утилитарен, утилитарист
- утилитарен (utilitaren)pertaining to utilitarianism
- утилитарист (utilitarist)Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Catalan utilitari, utilitari
- utilitaripractical and functional, not just for show
- utilitariSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
- utilitàriaSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Chinese Mandarin 功利主義 /功利主义
- 功利主義 /功利主义 (hant)practical and functional, not just for show
Danish utilitaristisk, funktionel
- utilitaristiskpractical and functional, not just for show
- funktionelpractical and functional, not just for show
- utilitaristSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Dutch utilistisch, utilist
- utilistischpertaining to utilitarianism
- utilistSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Finnish utilitaristinen, hyödyllinen
- utilitaristinenpertaining to utilitarianism
- hyödyllinenpractical and functional, not just for show
- käytännöllinenpractical and functional, not just for show
- utilitaristiSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
French utilitariste, utilitaire
- utilitaristepertaining to utilitarianism
- utilitairepractical and functional, not just for show
- fonctionnelpractical and functional, not just for show
- fonctionnellepractical and functional, not just for show
- utilitaristeSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
German nützlich, zweckmäßig
- nützlichof or relating to utility
- zweckmäßigof or relating to utility
- utilitaristischpertaining to utilitarianism
- zweckmäßigpractical and functional, not just for show
- UtilitaristSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Greek πρακτικός, λειτουργικός
- πρακτικός (praktikós)practical and functional, not just for show
- λειτουργικός (leitourgikós)practical and functional, not just for show
- ωφελιμιστής (ofelimistís)Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
- ωφελιμίστρια (ofelimístria)Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Hebrew תועלתי
- תועלתי (toalti)practical and functional, not just for show
Irish fóntaíoch, fóntaí
- fóntaíochpractical and functional, not just for show
- fóntaíSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Italian utilitaristico
- utilitaristicopertaining to utilitarianism
Japanese 功利的な
- 功利的な (kōriteki na)pertaining to utilitarianism
Korean 공리주의적인
- 공리주의적인 (gongnijuuijeogin)pertaining to utilitarianism
Norwegian Bokmål utilitaristisk, utilitarist
- utilitaristiskpractical and functional, not just for show
- utilitaristSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Polish użytkowy, utylitarystyczny
- użytkowyof or relating to utility
- utylitarystycznypertaining to utilitarianism
- funkcjonalnypractical and functional, not just for show
- utylitarystaSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
- utylitarystkaSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Portuguese utilitário, utilitarista
- utilitáriopertaining to utilitarianism
- utilitaristaSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Romanian utilitarist, utilitarist
- utilitaristpertaining to utilitarianism
- utilitaristSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
- utilitaristăSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Russian утили́тный, утилитари́стский
- утили́тный (utilítnyj)of or relating to utility
- утилитари́стский (utilitarístskij)pertaining to utilitarianism
- утилита́рный (utilitárnyj)practical and functional, not just for show
Swedish utilitaristisk, utilitarist
- utilitaristiskpertaining to utilitarianism
- utilitaristSomeone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Yiddish אוטיליטאַריש
- אוטיליטאַריש (utilitarish)pertaining to utilitarianism
Cite this entry
utilitarian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/utilitarian
“utilitarian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/utilitarian. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “utilitarian,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/utilitarian.
Source: utilitarian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.