nonuse

noun

non·​use ˌnän-ˈyüs How to pronounce nonuse (audio)
1
: failure to use
nonuse of available material
2
: the fact or condition of not being used

Examples of nonuse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Eventually, the resident next door said the easement was terminated over nonuse. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2024 Upon their death, the rights can be transferred to an executor or heir for a period of ten years and expire upon nonuse for commercial purposes after two years. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2024 But humanity has survived those weapons being in far worse and less stable hands, from the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin to the Chinese tyrant Mao Zedong to the brutal Kim dynasty in North Korea, and there is no reason to believe the pattern of post-1945 nuclear nonuse will change. Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2023 The coolness lasts for three hours, and the gels fully recharge after just 15 minutes of nonuse. Emily Belfiore, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2023 The 77-year-old tradition of nuclear nonuse—the nuclear taboo—is the single most important accomplishment of the nuclear age. Nina Tannenwald, Scientific American, 10 Mar. 2022 In homes, those problems include premature discarding of foodstuffs, supersize portions, nonuse and misuse. San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2021 It’s a recurring situation that results from a history of neglect, questionable policy decisions, philosophic disagreements, inadequate resources, nonuse of available resources — and sometimes chance. Michael Smolens Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2021 In a famous 1990s case, a restaurateur in South Africa successfully argued that McDonald’s Corp. had let its trademark lapse through nonuse. Khadeeja Safdar, WSJ, 28 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonuse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonuse was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near nonuse

Cite this Entry

“Nonuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonuse. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nonuse

noun
non·​use -ˈyüs How to pronounce nonuse (audio)
1
: failure to use
nonuse of available material
2
: the fact or condition of not being used

Legal Definition

nonuse

noun
non·​use ˌnän-ˈyüs How to pronounce nonuse (audio)
1
: failure to use
nonuse of land
2
: the fact or condition of not being used

More from Merriam-Webster on nonuse

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