as in dismantled
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 mothballed
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
Some 1,000 construction workers were laid off as the Gateway Development Commission mothballed the project.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
The Devil’s Place whiskey list also includes complete collections of special expressions and bottles from distilleries long mothballed.
—Don Tse, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The company began construction twice on the development, but now has mothballed that project.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
Turkey conducted a single test firing near Sinop in 2020, then quietly mothballed the system.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 22 Dec. 2025
The bank mothballed plans for the plot of land and hired brokers to sell it in 2014, a process that drew interest from a handful of residential developers who considered the site a prime opportunity to build luxury apartments overlooking the river.
—Jack Sidders, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2025
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
Some 1,000 construction workers were laid off as the Gateway Development Commission mothballed the project.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
The Devil’s Place whiskey list also includes complete collections of special expressions and bottles from distilleries long mothballed.
—Don Tse, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The company began construction twice on the development, but now has mothballed that project.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
Turkey conducted a single test firing near Sinop in 2020, then quietly mothballed the system.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 22 Dec. 2025
The bank mothballed plans for the plot of land and hired brokers to sell it in 2014, a process that drew interest from a handful of residential developers who considered the site a prime opportunity to build luxury apartments overlooking the river.
—Jack Sidders, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mothballed
dismantled
Verb
-
Yang recalls prosperous years before surrounding villages were dismantled.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The Bruins dismantled South Carolina 77-62 in a November game at Pauley Pavilion, launching themselves on a path toward the program’s first NCAA Final Four appearance last March, when their season ended with an 85-51 national semifinal loss to UConn.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mothballed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mothballed. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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