as in to dismantle
to stop using (something) while keeping it to be possibly used in the future
Many navy ships were mothballed after the war.
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Recent Examples of mothball
Miller had taken to toying with the addition in spring training in recent years, only to essentially mothball the pitch.
—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Rio Tinto’s $3 billion Jadar lithium project in Serbia was mothballed after permitting setbacks, raising questions about whether the EU badge is enough to override local politics and market cycles.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
30 Mar. 2026
In her closet were seven Ungaros, three Rykiels, a Kamali bathing suit and a Kamali sleeping-bag coat, five Kenzo dresses, two pieces from the Ballets Russes collection of Saint Laurent—all of which were trades or payments in kind, none of them mothballed, but instead worn ostentatiously and often.
—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
The two Karuizawa casks (#6195 and #888) in question were distilled in 1999, a year before the distillery was mothballed, and each is expected to yield about 420 bottles.
—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mothball
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Rio Tinto’s $3 billion Jadar lithium project in Serbia was mothballed after permitting setbacks, raising questions about whether the EU badge is enough to override local politics and market cycles.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
30 Mar. 2026
In her closet were seven Ungaros, three Rykiels, a Kamali bathing suit and a Kamali sleeping-bag coat, five Kenzo dresses, two pieces from the Ballets Russes collection of Saint Laurent—all of which were trades or payments in kind, none of them mothballed, but instead worn ostentatiously and often.
—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
The two Karuizawa casks (#6195 and #888) in question were distilled in 1999, a year before the distillery was mothballed, and each is expected to yield about 420 bottles.
—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mothball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mothball
dismantle
Verb
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Cuba’s Communist Party has approved 176 free‑market measures, which are described as the most sweeping economic overhaul since the revolution, dismantling pillars of state control and decentralizing a system battered by crisis.
-
According to Kim, the theme is not about respectfully preserving Korean aesthetics, but about dismantling, disrupting, and wearing them again.
Cite this Entry
“Mothball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mothball. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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