The difference between Consume and Use

When used as verbs, consume means to use up, whereas use means to employ.

Use is also noun with the meaning: the act of using.

check bellow for the other definitions of Consume and Use

  1. Consume as a verb (transitive):

    To use up.

    Examples:

    "The power plant consumes 30 tons of coal per hour."

  2. Consume as a verb (transitive):

    To eat.

    Examples:

    "Baby birds consume their own weight in food each day."

  3. Consume as a verb (transitive):

    To completely occupy the thoughts or attention of.

    Examples:

    "Desire consumed him."

  4. Consume as a verb (transitive):

    To destroy completely.

    Examples:

    "The building was consumed by fire."

  5. Consume as a verb (intransitive, obsolete):

    To waste away slowly.

  6. Consume as a verb (economics, transitive, intransitive):

    To trade money for good or services as an individual.

    Examples:

    "In a materialistic society, individuals are taught to consume, consume, consume."

    "If you consume this product while in Japan, you may be subject to consumption tax."

  7. Consume as a verb (transitive):

    To absorb information, especially through the mass media.

    Examples:

    "The Internet has changed the way we consume news."

  1. Use as a noun:

    The act of using.

    Examples:

    "the use of torture has been condemned by the United Nations; there is no use for your invention"

  2. Use as a noun (uncountable, followed by "of"):

    Usefulness, benefit.

    Examples:

    "What's the use of a law that nobody follows?"

  3. Use as a noun:

    A function; a purpose for which something may be employed.

    Examples:

    "This tool has many uses."

  4. Use as a noun:

    Occasion or need to employ; necessity.

    Examples:

    "I have no further use for these textbooks."

  5. Use as a noun (obsolete, rare):

    Interest for lent money; premium paid for the use of something; usury.

  6. Use as a noun (archaic):

    Continued or repeated practice; usage; habit.

  7. Use as a noun (obsolete):

    Common occurrence; ordinary experience.

  8. Use as a noun (religion):

    The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese.

    Examples:

    "the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the Hereford use; the York use; the Roman use; etc."

  9. Use as a noun (forging):

    A slab of iron welded to the side of a forging, such as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging.

  1. Use as a verb (transitive):

    To utilize or employ. To employ; to apply; to utilize. To expend; to consume by employing. To exploit. To consume (alcohol, drugs, etc), especially regularly. To consume a previously specified substance, especially a drug to which one is addicted. To benefit from; to be able to employ or stand.

    Examples:

    "'Use this knife to slice the bread."

    "We can use this mathematical formula to solve the problem."

    "I used the money they allotted me."

    "We should use up most of the fuel."

    "She used all the time allotted to complete the test."

    "You never cared about me; you just used me!"

    "He uses cocaine.'' ''I have never used drugs."

    "Richard began experimenting with cocaine last year; now he uses almost every day."

    "I could use a drink. My car could use a new coat of paint."

  2. Use as a verb (reflexive, obsolete, with "to"):

    To accustom; to habituate. To become accustomed, to accustom oneself.

    Examples:

    "soldiers who are used to hardships and danger q still common"

    "to use the soldiers to hardships and danger q now rare"

  3. Use as a verb (intransitive, now, rare, literary):

    To habitually do; to be wont to do.

  4. Use as a verb (intransitive, now, rare, literary):

    To habitually employ; to be wont to employ.

  5. Use as a verb (intransitive, past tense with infinitive):

    To habitually do. See used to.

    Examples:

    "I used to get things done."

  6. Use as a verb (dated):

    To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat.

    Examples:

    "to use an animal cruelly"

  7. Use as a verb (reflexive, obsolete):

    To behave, act, comport oneself.

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