single-use
adjective
sin·gle-use
ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈyüs 
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
Anandi BarkerExamples of single-use in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sustainability The hotel recently obtained Green Key certification, after a year of serious dedication to making the hotel more environmentally sustainable by cutting down on single-use plastics and lowering food waste.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026
On Illinois Environmental Lobby Day, hundreds gathered in Springfield to push action on three environmental bills to protect wetlands, ban single-use plastics and safeguard against energy and water strains caused by the data center boom.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
According to the Sierra Club, Boston and more than 160 Massachusetts communities already ban single-use plastic shopping bags.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Some of us virtuously recycle items that will be transported across the world to smother island nations in single-use plastic bags and water bottles, milk jugs, yogurt tubs, pet food and potato chip bags, Styrofoam meat trays, Coke bottles, Amazon mailing envelopes, and fast-food wrappers.
—Caroline Fraser, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The dining experience is also different in France, with table service and reusable cups and containers, in accordance with a law that banned single-use cups, cutlery and containers at all eat-in restaurants in 2023.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
John Bueno, a transgender student at the University of Idaho and a member of the student group Queer Inclusion Society, said the school has lots of single-use restrooms, which helps mitigate the logistical impacts of the bill.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
The rise of reusables may be contributing to the declining sales of single-use period products over the past few years.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Reduce your reliance on single-use plastic products.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026
On Illinois Environmental Lobby Day, hundreds gathered in Springfield to push action on three environmental bills to protect wetlands, ban single-use plastics and safeguard against energy and water strains caused by the data center boom.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
According to the Sierra Club, Boston and more than 160 Massachusetts communities already ban single-use plastic shopping bags.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Some of us virtuously recycle items that will be transported across the world to smother island nations in single-use plastic bags and water bottles, milk jugs, yogurt tubs, pet food and potato chip bags, Styrofoam meat trays, Coke bottles, Amazon mailing envelopes, and fast-food wrappers.
—Caroline Fraser, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The dining experience is also different in France, with table service and reusable cups and containers, in accordance with a law that banned single-use cups, cutlery and containers at all eat-in restaurants in 2023.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
John Bueno, a transgender student at the University of Idaho and a member of the student group Queer Inclusion Society, said the school has lots of single-use restrooms, which helps mitigate the logistical impacts of the bill.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
The rise of reusables may be contributing to the declining sales of single-use period products over the past few years.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Reduce your reliance on single-use plastic products.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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