used to

1 of 2

adjective

: familiar with something so that it seems normal or usual

I'm not used to driving this car yet.

He is used to criticism.

The dog will need a few days to become used to its new home.

She quickly got used to the warm weather.

used to

2 of 2

verb

1

—used to say a situation existed in the past but does not exist now

My grandmother said winters used to be harder here.

2

—used to say something happened repeatedly in the past but does not happen now

We used to go out more often.

They used to eat a lot of junk food but now they only eat healthy foods.

Examples of used to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Twice last month, people in South Korea taking an exam to assess their English language skills - the results of which are often used to make hiring decisions - were caught using smart glasses. — John Liu, CNN Money, 27 June 2026

The rare alert was first used to warn of tornado conditions. — CBS News, 27 June 2026

Under the terms of the 2021 agreement, LA28 must create a $270-million contingency fund that can be distributed as a surplus if the Games make money, or be used to cover any losses in the event of a shortfall. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026

Rajamouli reminisces that one of the best Imax 70mm projectors used to be in Hyderabad with the Prasad Imax. — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 26 June 2026

Security improvements that used to require a contractor can now happen on a Sunday evening. — Alexej Kovernikov, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

The chugging and churning riffs of the Swedish hard-core band’s breakout song once used to echo the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the kitchen. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026

It was used to block out the sun during rock concerts for dramatic effect. — New Atlas, 26 June 2026

And since the Lightning have regularly been void of a first-round pick, they’re used to spending a lot of time waiting to make their selections. — Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026

Rhymes for used to

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue