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.
Compared to conventional hydrogen sulfide scavengers, single-use chemicals that create hazardous waste streams, SulfurSolve aims to recycle and reuse its valuable chemistry. Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025 The inspector found rodent droppings in a cabinet with single-use coffee cups and the facility was unable to provide pest control service documents. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2025 Designed so that the needle is hidden until injection — a process that is prompted by the push of a button — the ClearPen is reusable and can be loaded with single-use doses of corticosteroids. Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025 There are some simple ways to prevent infestation, especially if your household uses a lot of dry goods that come in thin cardboard boxes or single-use plastic bags. Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025 The Truth will also be part of Live Nation's Green Nation sustainability program that includes zero waste teams working to reduce single-use plastics and promote recycling, composting and food donations. Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean, 28 Oct. 2025 How Often to Replace Air Purifier Filters While reusable filters can last for years when properly maintained, single-use filters need to be replaced regularly to maintain good air quality in your home. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025 Last month in the journal Energy & Fuels, the Michigan Technological University team published a new method for converting polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the material that makes up single-use plastic water bottles, into both electrodes and separators. Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2025 Maurer-Jones said one step local governments could take would be to find ways to limit the amount of single-use plastic bags. Molly Castle Work, Twin Cities, 21 Oct. 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 9 Nov. 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!