Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Utilitarian
adjective/noun
/ yoo-til-ih-TAIR-ee-un /
Medium
Meaning
Designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive; in philosophy, believing that the morally right action is the one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Origin / Etymology
Jeremy Bentham's 18th-century philosophy of Utilitarianism, from Latin utilis (useful)
Synonyms
Practical
Functional
Consequentialist
Antonyms
Idealistic
Aesthetic
Deontological
Example Sentence
"A utilitarian argument for reservation policies holds that temporarily restricting merit-based selection is justified because the long-term social good of eliminating structural inequality outweighs short-term efficiency costs."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Use in GS4 Ethics answers when applying philosophical frameworks to policy dilemmas. Contrasts with deontological (duty-based) ethics. Essential for Case Studies where you weigh aggregate benefits against individual rights — reservation, displacement for development, etc.
Relevant Subjects