- (n.) The doctrine that utility is the sole standard of morality, so that the rectitude of an action is determined by its usefulness.
- (n.) The doctrine that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the end and aim of all social and political institutions.
- (n.) The doctrine that virtue is founded in utility or that virtue is defined and enforced by its tendency to promote the highest happiness of the universe.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). utilitarianism. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/utilitarianism/definitions/2078419 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "utilitarianism" http://smartdefine.org/utilitarianism/definitions/2078419 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, utilitarianism, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/utilitarianism/definitions/2078419>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "utilitarianism" 28 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/utilitarianism/definitions/2078419> |