as in dismantles
to stop using (something) while keeping it to be possibly used in the future
Many navy ships were mothballed after the war.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mothballs
dismantles
Verb
-
This approach treats migrants as human beings, dismantles trafficking incentives, lowers taxpayer costs, and complements federal ICE enforcement within Texas’s constitutional authority.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026 -
The missive comes as Florida enforces a sweeping ban on gender-affirming care for minors and dismantles traditional accreditation requirements for lawyers and universities.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Mothballs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mothballs. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
