single-use

adjective

sin·​gle-use ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈyüs How to pronounce single-use (audio)
variants or less commonly single use
: intended or designed to be used once and then discarded
single-use plastics
single-use paper products
Surgical masks are single-use face coverings that are designed to act as a barrier to sneezes or other potential exchanges of germs.Anandi Barker

Examples of single-use in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
No single-use plastic cutlery or glassware is used on our site. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Jan. 2026 Blanca said most new office space in Miami is being developed in mixed-use projects, rather than single-use office tower. Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026 According to the researchers, more than 500 billion single-use PET plastic bottles are produced every year. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026 The single-use product typically retails for $10, with discounts when multiple devices are purchased at the same time. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026 In addition to sourcing local ingredients for the spa and restaurants, Anantara Ubud has implemented other sustainable changes, like using energy-efficient LED lighting and eliminating single-use plastic water bottles and straws. Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025 Over-the-counter naloxone costs about $40 for a two-pack of the single-use spray. Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 30 Dec. 2025 Wrapping paper doesn't have to be a single-use item. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025 The law aims to reduce the industry's single-use plastic footprint. Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of single-use was in 1897

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Cite this Entry

“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.

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