1
: having been used before
one of the most used quotes
: such as
a
: already exhausted for its intended purpose
a used tissue
b
: having had a previous owner : secondhand
a used car
used clothing/furniture
2
: accustomed, habituated
… showing how used he was to papers with lies on them …—
Gilbert Millstein
Gilbert Millsteinused
2 of 2past tense and past participle of use entry 1
Examples of used in a Sentence
Adjective
The books on this shelf are used.
my grandmother has spent her whole life on the farm and is used to working hard
Recent Examples on the Web
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2025
To do this, the team designed a special ex vivo system made of gel and collagen—a protein found in the uterine lining—and used embryos donated by people who had completed an assisted reproduction process.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 15 Aug. 2025
These average around $44 on the open market nowadays, not a huge price tag after 31 years, but not too shabby for a single very used card.
—Curtis Silver, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Our expression of Woodford Reserve American Single Malt uses our proprietary yeast strain, is triple pot distilled, and aged in used bourbon barrels.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for used
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
That sparked the idea to take used butts, clean them up and put them to work.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2025
To do this, the team designed a special ex vivo system made of gel and collagen—a protein found in the uterine lining—and used embryos donated by people who had completed an assisted reproduction process.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 15 Aug. 2025
These average around $44 on the open market nowadays, not a huge price tag after 31 years, but not too shabby for a single very used card.
—Curtis Silver, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Our expression of Woodford Reserve American Single Malt uses our proprietary yeast strain, is triple pot distilled, and aged in used bourbon barrels.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for used
Cite this Entry
“Used.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/used. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
used
adjective
ˈyüzd 
in the phrase ",
used to ",
usually ˈyüs(t)
1
: employed in accomplishing something
a much used excuse
2
: that has been used
3
: having the habit of doing or experiencing
is used to flying
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