utilitarian
/jʊˌtɪlɪˈtɛːrɪən
/adjective
1Designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive: a utilitarian building...
- Department stores do stock lots of bras in ‘plus’ sizes, but they tend to be ugly, utilitarian and practical bras designed for an older clientele.
- They looked merely utilitarian and sensibly designed.
- The scrapers seem to have functioned primarily as utilitarian items rather than prestige items.
Synonyms
practical, functional, serviceable, useful, sensible, effective, efficient, (suited) to the purpose, pragmatic, realistic, utility, working, workaday, handy, neat, ordinary, down-to-earth;
plain, unadorned, undecorative, unpretentious, unsentimental, soulless;
hard-wearing, durable, lasting, long-lasting, tough, strong, robust, wear-resistant
2 Philosophy Relating to or adhering to the doctrine of utilitarianism: a utilitarian theorist...
- He made a lasting contribution to moral and political philosophy by attacking the prevailing materialism and empiricism of utilitarian thinkers.
- In England, the utilitarian doctrine of a higher public good trumped the idea of intellectual property rooted in natural right.
- Modern philosophers tend to take a more utilitarian position.
noun Philosophy
An adherent of utilitarianism.Assigning particular rights to people may be a way to promote wellbeing, and when it is, utilitarians favour doing it....
- It is no accident then, that the utilitarians were often called philosophical radicals.
- The utilitarians, who were also known as Philosophical Radicals, believed in a rather simple social formula: reduce pain and increase pleasure.
