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Grammar Nazi: Use vs. Utilize
I’ve been writing a section of help on “network utilization graphs,” which has prompted me to educate:
Use and utilize are not synonyms.
Use means, simply, to use. There’s really no other way to say that.
Utilize carries more complex meaning.
Look at the form of the word: utility turned verb by the (awful) -ize suffix. Think of other -ize words:
- bastardize: to convert something into a bastard
- homogenize: to convert something into a homogeneous mixture
- crystalize: to convet something into a crystalline form
Utilize means to transform something into a form that has utility beyond its innate and intended use.
Use nail polish to make your fingernails pretty.
Utilize nail polish to stop a run in your pantyhose.
And, above all, view “network usage” graphs, not “network utilization” graphs.
