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.
When several 14-year-old girls complained, the administrators at West Springfield High School told the girls to change faster or use a single-use restroom. Amy Delaura, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025 Ease of use is what makes the Bodum Chambord MoMa espresso maker a nice little appliance that won’t eat up your counter space or rely on single-use plastic pods. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Oct. 2025 Every year, over 500 billion single-use plastic bottles are produced, with millions ending up in landfills, oceans and waterways. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025 One box of single-use cups was stored on the floor in the dry storage area. Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025 In an effort to reduce packaging waste, the European Union (EU) announced a plan last year to have single-use plastics—like mini shampoo and conditioner bottles—banned by 2030. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Oct. 2025 These are great for grocery shopping or storing fruits and vegetables, helping to reduce single-use plastic. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2025 Customers must download a single-use digital coupon from Kroger's website to redeem the offer. Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Sep. 2025 Bye Bye Plastic reports that the movement to implement more environmentally friendly riders drew support from more than 1,500 DJs and artists who demonstrated the clear demand for event producers to cut single-use plastics from hospitality. Katie Bain, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!