diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/dead.rs b/src/librustc/middle/dead.rs
index 42775e3a1837f..368b955a42aaa 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/dead.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/dead.rs
@@ -567,12 +567,17 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Visitor<'tcx> for DeadVisitor<'a, 'tcx> {
                 hir::ItemImpl(..) => self.tcx.sess.codemap().def_span(item.span),
                 _ => item.span,
             };
+            let participle = match item.node {
+                hir::ItemFn(..) => "called",
+                hir::ItemStruct(..) => "constructed",
+                _ => "used"
+            };
             self.warn_dead_code(
                 item.id,
                 span,
                 item.name,
                 item.node.descriptive_variant(),
-                "used",
+                participle,
             );
         } else {
             // Only continue if we didn't warn
@@ -622,7 +627,8 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Visitor<'tcx> for DeadVisitor<'a, 'tcx> {
             hir::ImplItemKind::Method(_, body_id) => {
                 if !self.symbol_is_live(impl_item.id, None) {
                     let span = self.tcx.sess.codemap().def_span(impl_item.span);
-                    self.warn_dead_code(impl_item.id, span, impl_item.ident.name, "method", "used");
+                    self.warn_dead_code(impl_item.id, span, impl_item.ident.name,
+                                        "method", "called");
                 }
                 self.visit_nested_body(body_id)
             }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code-core.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code-core.rs
index aed76e36fca14..da00d6e981aa9 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code-core.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code-core.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate core;
 
-fn foo() { //~ ERROR function is never used
+fn foo() { //~ ERROR function is never called
 
     // none of these should have any dead_code exposed to the user
     panic!();
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code.rs
index 6e5d3a313556e..f7161558157db 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/fail-no-dead-code.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #![deny(dead_code)]
 #![allow(unreachable_code)]
 
-fn foo() { //~ ERROR function is never used
+fn foo() { //~ ERROR function is never called
 
     // none of these should have any dead_code exposed to the user
     panic!();
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-1.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-1.rs
index d6ca5e6b1d969..b771e9726a99c 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-1.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-1.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 pub use foo2::Bar2;
 
 mod foo {
-    pub struct Bar; //~ ERROR: struct is never used
+    pub struct Bar; //~ ERROR: struct is never constructed
 }
 
 mod foo2 {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const CONST_USED_IN_ENUM_DISCRIMINANT: isize = 11;
 
 pub type typ = *const UsedStruct4;
 pub struct PubStruct;
-struct PrivStruct; //~ ERROR: struct is never used
+struct PrivStruct; //~ ERROR: struct is never constructed
 struct UsedStruct1 {
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     x: isize
@@ -95,17 +95,17 @@ pub fn pub_fn() {
     }
     f::<StructUsedInGeneric>();
 }
-fn priv_fn() { //~ ERROR: function is never used
+fn priv_fn() { //~ ERROR: function is never called
     let unused_struct = PrivStruct;
 }
 fn used_fn() {}
 
-fn foo() { //~ ERROR: function is never used
+fn foo() { //~ ERROR: function is never called
     bar();
     let unused_enum = priv_enum::foo2;
 }
 
-fn bar() { //~ ERROR: function is never used
+fn bar() { //~ ERROR: function is never called
     foo();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-2.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-2.rs
index 4a0e4f4319e0a..e4c2761fcb7e2 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-2.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-2.rs
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ impl Bar for Foo {
 
 fn live_fn() {}
 
-fn dead_fn() {} //~ ERROR: function is never used
+fn dead_fn() {} //~ ERROR: function is never called
 
 #[main]
-fn dead_fn2() {} //~ ERROR: function is never used
+fn dead_fn2() {} //~ ERROR: function is never called
 
 fn used_fn() {}
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ fn start(_: isize, _: *const *const u8) -> isize {
 }
 
 // this is not main
-fn main() { //~ ERROR: function is never used
+fn main() { //~ ERROR: function is never called
     dead_fn();
     dead_fn2();
 }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-3.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-3.rs
index f680e39544933..c4f16e113b934 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-3.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/lint-dead-code-3.rs
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@ extern {
     pub fn extern_foo();
 }
 
-struct Foo; //~ ERROR: struct is never used
+struct Foo; //~ ERROR: struct is never constructed
 impl Foo {
-    fn foo(&self) { //~ ERROR: method is never used
+    fn foo(&self) { //~ ERROR: method is never called
         bar()
     }
 }
 
-fn bar() { //~ ERROR: function is never used
+fn bar() { //~ ERROR: function is never called
     fn baz() {}
 
     Foo.foo();
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/test-warns-dead-code.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/test-warns-dead-code.rs
index 0e25f1e965ab9..8e50154685364 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/test-warns-dead-code.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/test-warns-dead-code.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@
 
 #![deny(dead_code)]
 
-fn dead() {} //~ error: function is never used: `dead`
+fn dead() {} //~ error: function is never called: `dead`
 
 fn main() {}
diff --git a/src/test/ui-fulldeps/lint-plugin-cmdline-allow.stderr b/src/test/ui-fulldeps/lint-plugin-cmdline-allow.stderr
index cda6ea8bb903b..6cba74367c550 100644
--- a/src/test/ui-fulldeps/lint-plugin-cmdline-allow.stderr
+++ b/src/test/ui-fulldeps/lint-plugin-cmdline-allow.stderr
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-warning: function is never used: `lintme`
+warning: function is never called: `lintme`
   --> $DIR/lint-plugin-cmdline-allow.rs:20:1
    |
 LL | fn lintme() { }
diff --git a/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.rs b/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.rs
index 367a256015558..ecc08feceb744 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.rs
+++ b/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.rs
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@
 
 // Parser test for #37765
 
-fn with_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never used: `with_parens`
+fn with_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never called: `with_parens`
   return (<T as ToString>::to_string(&arg)); //~WARN unnecessary parentheses around `return` value
 }
 
-fn no_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never used: `no_parens`
+fn no_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never called: `no_parens`
   return <T as ToString>::to_string(&arg);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.stderr b/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.stderr
index 89df5e894aa34..5de59c097923a 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.stderr
+++ b/src/test/ui/path-lookahead.stderr
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ LL | #![warn(unused)]
    |         ^^^^^^
    = note: #[warn(unused_parens)] implied by #[warn(unused)]
 
-warning: function is never used: `with_parens`
+warning: function is never called: `with_parens`
   --> $DIR/path-lookahead.rs:17:1
    |
-LL | fn with_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never used: `with_parens`
+LL | fn with_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never called: `with_parens`
    | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    |
 note: lint level defined here
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ LL | #![warn(unused)]
    |         ^^^^^^
    = note: #[warn(dead_code)] implied by #[warn(unused)]
 
-warning: function is never used: `no_parens`
+warning: function is never called: `no_parens`
   --> $DIR/path-lookahead.rs:21:1
    |
-LL | fn no_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never used: `no_parens`
+LL | fn no_parens<T: ToString>(arg: T) -> String { //~WARN function is never called: `no_parens`
    | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
diff --git a/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.rs b/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.rs
index 4fe35042300e7..7374f15746851 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.rs
+++ b/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 macro_rules! m {
     ($a:tt $b:tt) => {
-        $b $a; //~ WARN struct is never used
+        $b $a; //~ WARN struct is never constructed
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.stderr b/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.stderr
index bb59fa206df1d..b12ca86d3c929 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.stderr
+++ b/src/test/ui/span/macro-span-replacement.stderr
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-warning: struct is never used: `S`
+warning: struct is never constructed: `S`
   --> $DIR/macro-span-replacement.rs:17:14
    |
-LL |         $b $a; //~ WARN struct is never used
+LL |         $b $a; //~ WARN struct is never constructed
    |              ^
 ...
 LL |     m!(S struct);
diff --git a/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.rs b/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.rs
index 6a7071d49aed6..f399d61f41867 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.rs
+++ b/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.rs
@@ -19,18 +19,18 @@ enum Enum { //~ WARN enum is never used
     D,
 }
 
-struct Struct { //~ WARN struct is never used
+struct Struct { //~ WARN struct is never constructed
     a: usize,
     b: usize,
     c: usize,
     d: usize,
 }
 
-fn func() -> usize { //~ WARN function is never used
+fn func() -> usize { //~ WARN function is never called
     3
 }
 
-fn //~ WARN function is never used
+fn //~ WARN function is never called
 func_complete_span()
 -> usize
 {
diff --git a/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.stderr b/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.stderr
index de234344d8409..dd05960b8208f 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.stderr
+++ b/src/test/ui/span/unused-warning-point-at-signature.stderr
@@ -11,22 +11,22 @@ LL | #![warn(unused)]
    |         ^^^^^^
    = note: #[warn(dead_code)] implied by #[warn(unused)]
 
-warning: struct is never used: `Struct`
+warning: struct is never constructed: `Struct`
   --> $DIR/unused-warning-point-at-signature.rs:22:1
    |
-LL | struct Struct { //~ WARN struct is never used
+LL | struct Struct { //~ WARN struct is never constructed
    | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-warning: function is never used: `func`
+warning: function is never called: `func`
   --> $DIR/unused-warning-point-at-signature.rs:29:1
    |
-LL | fn func() -> usize { //~ WARN function is never used
+LL | fn func() -> usize { //~ WARN function is never called
    | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-warning: function is never used: `func_complete_span`
+warning: function is never called: `func_complete_span`
   --> $DIR/unused-warning-point-at-signature.rs:33:1
    |
-LL | / fn //~ WARN function is never used
+LL | / fn //~ WARN function is never called
 LL | | func_complete_span()
 LL | | -> usize
 LL | | {