: familiar with something so that it seems normal or usual
I'm not used to driving this car yet.
He is used to criticism.
The dog will need a few days to become used to its new home.
She quickly got used to the warm weather.
1
—used to say a situation existed in the past but does not exist now
My grandmother said winters used to be harder here.
2
—used to say something happened repeatedly in the past but does not happen now
We used to go out more often.
They used to eat a lot of junk food but now they only eat healthy foods.
Examples of used to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
He is used to controlling everyone with money, threats, or a combination of both.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Unlike communications with a licensed attorney, which are legally safeguarded, inputs to AI systems may be stored, processed, used to improve the AI model, subpoenaed by law enforcement and discoverable by third parties.
—Robert Scott, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The same technology can be used to create oxygen on the Moon.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
At another plant in Singapore, Polen says, BD had been discarding about 200 needles each shift, for 50 years, because they’d get clogged in the sandblasting process used to remove metal burrs.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 22 May 2026
There used to be a casino, but that’s now long gone.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Yes, apple cider vinegar can be used to clean a coffee maker.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 22 May 2026
Fans, by the way, who didn't used to love Kyle.
—Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
The chemical, also known as MMA, is used to manufacture plastics and can potentially cause respiratory issues if humans are exposed, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
—Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
He is used to controlling everyone with money, threats, or a combination of both.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Unlike communications with a licensed attorney, which are legally safeguarded, inputs to AI systems may be stored, processed, used to improve the AI model, subpoenaed by law enforcement and discoverable by third parties.
—Robert Scott, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The same technology can be used to create oxygen on the Moon.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
At another plant in Singapore, Polen says, BD had been discarding about 200 needles each shift, for 50 years, because they’d get clogged in the sandblasting process used to remove metal burrs.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 22 May 2026
There used to be a casino, but that’s now long gone.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Yes, apple cider vinegar can be used to clean a coffee maker.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 22 May 2026
Fans, by the way, who didn't used to love Kyle.
—Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Used to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/used%20to. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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