Adjectives meaning 'useful', for people

[Mehrgan]

Hi there,

Would you please kindly give me some common adjectives used when referring to a person who is 'useful' for their society? (Say, we're talking about an educational system which is so effective that educates children who WILL become ..................... in their future.)

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think they will become helpful to the society, but I am a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

It doesn't use an adjective, but I would say "They will contribute (a lot) to society". If you really must use an adjective, I would use either helpful or useful.

Note that Matthew's suggestion should say "helpful to society" (no "the").

 

[Meja]

Could we say that they'll become "engaged citizens"?
Or maybe "enterprising" ones?


(I am not a teacher as well.)

 

[Matthew Wai]

"engaged citizens."

Which definition below are you referring to?
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american-cobuild-learners/engaged?showCookiePolicy=true

Would you please kindly

I would omit 'kindly' due to redundancy, but I am not a teacher.

 

[Meja]

Matthew Wai,
I certainly do not refer to a busy telephone line or to an occupied toilet. :-D I also do not think that two people who decide to get engaged and later married will be more useful and helpful for their community because of that. Therefore, my usage of engaged is closest to the first definition. As far as I know, an engaged citizen should be a person who is not passive and who is willing to be engaged in social activities and get involved in community affairs. I see that it does not exist as a phrase in dictionaries. However, I have heard it many times and I asked if it could be appropriate here.

 

[tedmc]

Another adjective I can think of is "being civic-conscious".

 

[tzfujimino]

I haven't been able to find 'civic-conscious', but I have found 'civic-minded' in some dictionaries here: http://www.onelook.com/?w=civic-minded&ls=a&loc=home_ac_Civic-m

 

[tedmc]

I haven't been able to find 'civic-conscious', but I have found 'civic-minded' in some dictionaries here: http://www.onelook.com/?w=civic-minded&ls=a&loc=home_ac_Civic-m

Civic-conscious is the same as civic-minded.

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060628182600AAkYLid

 

[Matthew Wai]

Is an engaged citizen or a civic-minded person necessarily helpful or useful to society?

 

[tedmc]

If there is the noun "civic consciousness", shouldn't there be the adjective "civic-conscious"?

 

[SoothingDave]

Is an engaged citizen or a civic-minded person necessarily helpful or useful to society?

No.

 

[SoothingDave]

A "productive member of society" is sometimes used.

Of course, in today's age we must be certain that we don't imply that the disabled are not productive members, etc. But we can maintain the distinction between someone who is trying to be "civic minded" and someone who actually does achieve good for the world. There are lots of civic busybodies out there.