mothball

1 of 2

noun

moth·​ball ˈmȯth-ˌbȯl 

1

: a ball made formerly of camphor but now often of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene and used to keep moths away from clothing

2

mothballs plural : a condition of protective storage

put the ships in mothballs after the war

also : a state of having been rejected for further use or dismissed from further consideration

a … script he should have kept in mothballs.

—Rolling Stone

mothball

2 of 2

verb

mothballed; mothballing; mothballs

transitive verb

1

: to deactivate (something, such as a ship) and prevent deterioration chiefly by dehumidification

2

: to withdraw from use or service and keep in reserve : put aside

mothballed the plans for the project

Examples of mothball in a Sentence

Verb

Many navy ships were mothballed after the war.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Questions have been asked of the club’s commitment to their women’s team, which was only reformed in 2018 after over a decade in mothballs, and their recruitment and squad-building have sometimes been criticised. —Cerys Jones, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026

Since mothballs are proven to be ineffective (and harmful), here are some safer alternatives to consider. —Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 25 Jan. 2026

Verb

In her closet were seven Ungaros, three Rykiels, a Kamali bathing suit and a Kamali sleeping-bag coat, five Kenzo dresses, two pieces from the Ballets Russes collection of Saint Laurent—all of which were trades or payments in kind, none of them mothballed, but instead worn ostentatiously and often. —Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026

The two Karuizawa casks (#6195 and #888) in question were distilled in 1999, a year before the distillery was mothballed, and each is expected to yield about 420 bottles. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mothball

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

mothball

1 of 2 noun

moth·​ball ˈmȯth-ˌbȯl 

1

: a ball (as of naphthalene) used to keep moths out of clothing

2

plural : protective storage

a fleet put in mothballs after the war

mothball

2 of 2 verb

1

: to remove a ship from use and protect from deterioration

2

: to withdraw from use or service and keep in reserve : put aside