dis·use
(ˌ)dis-ˈyüs 
dish-
: cessation of use or practice
Synonyms
Examples of disuse in a Sentence
Noun
The room was dusty from disuse.
since the car has experienced years of disuse, starting it up won't be easy
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023
The papaya-pulp glow of sodium lights on a remote station’s platform revealed the denizens of the wayside: disused open-top hoppers, empty coil cars, corroded gondolas, a modest village in the distance illumined by weak-yellow streetlamps.
—Mark Orwoll, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2023
The India Point Railroad Bridge is on the other side of the Washington Bridge from the Crook Point Bascule Bridge, which is also disused but charismatically sticking up out of the water.
—Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Apr. 2023
Two disused old Mississippi casino barges loom over the scene.
—Lawrence Specker | , al, 27 Mar. 2023
In the Russian language today, the entire vocabulary of principles and ideals has, after decades of abuse, been relegated to disuse.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 4 June 2020
Juliette Guéron-Gabrielle, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
After decades of disuse, it was named one of America's Most Endangered Historic Places.
—Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2023
Many acequias fell into disuse around the 1960s, when Spain turned to an agricultural model that favored reservoirs and pushed many Spaniards to leave rural areas for cities.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 19 July 2023
But over the years, China has undercut prices in the sometimes-expensive extraction and refinement process so that many of these sources have fallen into disuse, including the huge germanium mine in the United States.
—Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 17 July 2023
State laws don’t lose their effect through disuse, Urmanski said.
—Todd Richmond, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2023
But after Franz’s death, the volcano fell into disuse.
—Sophie Bushwick, Discover Magazine, 1 Sep. 2012
Those leaders proclaimed that each Olympic city would benefit from upgrades to local transportation and sports facilities, but too often those stadiums, arenas, swimming pools and bobsled runs fell into disuse and fell apart.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2022
What good’s power, after all, if its disuse leaves the public unoppressed?
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 16 July 2022
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Verb
First opened in 1910, the train station received rail passengers until it was shuddered in the 1950s and has sat disused ever since, becoming a favored haunt of urban explorers.
—Alex Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023
The papaya-pulp glow of sodium lights on a remote station’s platform revealed the denizens of the wayside: disused open-top hoppers, empty coil cars, corroded gondolas, a modest village in the distance illumined by weak-yellow streetlamps.
—Mark Orwoll, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2023
The India Point Railroad Bridge is on the other side of the Washington Bridge from the Crook Point Bascule Bridge, which is also disused but charismatically sticking up out of the water.
—Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Apr. 2023
Two disused old Mississippi casino barges loom over the scene.
—Lawrence Specker | , al, 27 Mar. 2023
In the Russian language today, the entire vocabulary of principles and ideals has, after decades of abuse, been relegated to disuse.
—Hari Kunzru, The New York Review of Books, 4 June 2020
Noun
The train line shuttled workers to factories, brought cattle to the slaughterhouse and carried raw materials like sugar into the city, before falling into disuse starting in the mid-20th century.
—Juliette Guéron-Gabrielle, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
After decades of disuse, it was named one of America's Most Endangered Historic Places.
—Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2023
Many acequias fell into disuse around the 1960s, when Spain turned to an agricultural model that favored reservoirs and pushed many Spaniards to leave rural areas for cities.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 19 July 2023
But over the years, China has undercut prices in the sometimes-expensive extraction and refinement process so that many of these sources have fallen into disuse, including the huge germanium mine in the United States.
—Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 17 July 2023
State laws don’t lose their effect through disuse, Urmanski said.
—Todd Richmond, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2023
But after Franz’s death, the volcano fell into disuse.
—Sophie Bushwick, Discover Magazine, 1 Sep. 2012
Those leaders proclaimed that each Olympic city would benefit from upgrades to local transportation and sports facilities, but too often those stadiums, arenas, swimming pools and bobsled runs fell into disuse and fell apart.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2022
What good’s power, after all, if its disuse leaves the public unoppressed?
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 16 July 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disuse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing disuse
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Cite this Entry
“Disuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disuse. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
disuse
noun
dis·use
dish-ˈüs,
(ˈ)dis-ˈyüs
: lack of use
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