single-use

adjective

sin·​gle-use ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈyüs How to pronounce single-use (audio)
variants or less commonly single use
: intended or designed to be used once and then discarded
single-use plastics
single-use paper products
Surgical masks are single-use face coverings that are designed to act as a barrier to sneezes or other potential exchanges of germs.Anandi Barker

Examples of single-use in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Local production and sourcing, upcycling, zero single-use plastic, and creative reuse are at the heart of Patina Osaka’s thoughtful sustainability efforts. Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2025 The outcome of the lawsuit could have major implications for how multinational corporations communicate environmental claims about their products and for efforts to reduce single-use plastic waste in the United States and globally. Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025 Using gas as an insulator for spacecraft could replace traditional, single-use heat shields that burn away or the heat-resistant ceramic tiles that need to be replaced between flights, making spacecraft more fully and rapidly reusable, according to a statement from Texas A&M University. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 11 May 2025 The Denver City Council voted April 7 not to rezone 627 S. Lipan St. from single-use residential to mixed-use, preventing RedT Homes from building two dozen townhomes there. Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 10 May 2025 Furthering these efforts, a partnership with the Rob Machado Foundation ensures Beach Fest remains free of single-use plastics through readily available water refill stations. Dawn Giangiulio, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025 Glass Jars Undamaged canning jars and jar rings can be reused year after year, although the single-use lids can only be used once. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025 Bomber drones lobbing small explosives back up the single-use explosive FPVs. David Axe, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 The latest victor of the water wars is back to basics: spring water in a single-use bottle that fans swear just tastes better. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of single-use was in 1897

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Cite this Entry

“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

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