Meaning & use
utility player
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablesport
A sports player who can perform well in several different positions rather than only one.
Grammar: Countable: say 'a utility player' or 'two utility players'.
Patterns
- a utility player for a team
- play as a utility player
- be used as a utility player
The coach likes him because he is a true utility player who can fill in almost anywhere.
She started her career as a utility player before settling into midfield.
Injuries forced the manager to rely on a utility player for most of the season.
nouncountablefigurative
Someone in a job or organization who handles many different tasks instead of one specialist role.
Grammar: Used figuratively; still countable, so use 'a' or a plural form.
Patterns
- a utility player in an organization
- act as a utility player
In a small company you often become a utility player, doing a bit of everything.
The paper's editor called her a utility player because she could write, edit, and design.
Word forms
| plural | utility players |
|---|
Common combinations
- a versatile utility player
- They signed a versatile utility player who covers three positions.
- play as a utility player
- He played as a utility player for most of his career.
- a valuable utility player
- Such a valuable utility player is hard to replace.
- rely on a utility player
- The team relies on a utility player when someone gets injured.
- a utility player off the bench
- They brought on a utility player off the bench to protect the lead.
Synonyms and how they differ
- all-rounder
- Common in cricket and British English; it stresses strength in more than one skill rather than the ability to cover positions.
- reserve
- A reserve only fills in when a regular is unavailable, while a utility player is valued for covering several roles.
- substitute
- A substitute replaces one specific player; a utility player may cover many different spots.
Opposites
Word family
- utility noun
- Usefulness, or a public service such as gas or electricity.
- utilitarian adjective
- Designed for practical use rather than beauty.
Commonly confused: utility player or substitute player?
utility player vs substitute player
A substitute comes on for another player during a game; a utility player is defined by being able to play several positions, whether starting or coming on.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'utility player' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A utility player can play several positions, so option A fits. Option B contradicts the meaning, C confuses the sports term with 'utility' as a public service, and D reverses the idea of being flexible.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “utility player”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.