obsolesce

verb

ob·​so·​lesce ˌäb-sə-ˈles How to pronounce obsolesce (audio)
obsolesced; obsolescing

intransitive verb

: to be or become obsolescent

transitive verb

: to make obsolescent

Examples of obsolesce in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This year features bills that obsolesce local government, destroy energy sovereignty, give inhumane puppy breeders a home in our state and attack a woman’s most fundamental right. orlandosentinel.com, 14 Jan. 2022 And unlike tech skills, which now obsolesce at an average rate of every 18 months, soft skills will grow even more essential as technology keeps racing onward. Anne Fisher, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2020 What a bizarre triumph for a company so eager to obsolesce our televisions. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 31 July 2019 People talk on landlines and watch black-and-white movies; the internet and mobile devices have seemingly obsolesced. Julian Lucas, Harper's magazine, 10 May 2019 The pattern such boondoggles follow is predictable: the services insist that new weapons are needed to replace our rapidly obsolescing fleets. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's magazine, 10 June 2019

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

Word History

Etymology

Latin obsolescere

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of obsolesce was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near obsolesce

Cite this Entry

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

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