High melting point, high density, hardness of carbide and readiness of superalloys enable tungsten and its alloys to be used extensively in as many as industries like machining, mining, petroleum, lighting, vacuum, chemical, aerospace, nuclear, medical, electrical, and electronics.

Tungsten carbide is the most common material and the best choice to making milling and turning tools from. Tungsten carbide occurs the largest application, and is of great importance to metal-working, mining, and petroleum industries.
A high melting point makes tungsten suitable for space-oriented and high-temperature uses including electrical, heating, and welding applications. Tungsten and its alloys are used extensively as filaments for electric lamps, electron and television tubes, for metal evaporation work, as electrical contact points for automobile distributors, as X-ray targets, as counter balance weights, as windings and heating elements for electrical furnaces.

High-speed steel, such as Hastelloy and Stellite, contains tungsten as much as 18%. Superalloys containing tungsten are used in turbine blades and wear-resistant parts and coatings.
Tungsten chemical compounds are used as catalysts and inorganic pigments. Tungsten disulfide high-temperature lubricants are stable up to 500°C (930°F). Due to its thermal expansion similar to that of borosilicate glass, tungsten is used for making glass-to-metal seals.