single-use

adjective

sin·​gle-use ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈyüs How to pronounce single-use (audio)
variants or less commonly single use
: intended or designed to be used once and then discarded
single-use plastics
single-use paper products
Surgical masks are single-use face coverings that are designed to act as a barrier to sneezes or other potential exchanges of germs.Anandi Barker

Examples of single-use in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There are also single-use items, such as a package of plastic straws, that might be difficult to resell or medicines that could be unsafe to market again. Jason Ma, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024 Still, the telltale signs of a sustainable hotel are all there, from the absence of single-use plastics to the presence of green certifications. Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024 Another text will be sent, with a single-use code for free expedited shipping. Adrienne So, WIRED, 1 Nov. 2024 Our top pick is the Schick Hydro Silk Dermaplaning Wand, which is single-use but made of a strong metal for better control. Marci Robin, Glamour, 31 Oct. 2024 The Biden administration has also taken some positive steps to address plastic pollution domestically, including a ban on the federal procurement of single-use plastics. Vox Staff, Vox, 24 Oct. 2024 The bill doesn’t include any of the fixes that researchers have found would be most effective in curbing the plastics crisis: capping plastic production, limiting single-use plastic and removing toxic chemicals from plastic products. Lisa Song, ProPublica, 23 Oct. 2024 Seaman Paper created its Vela range to substitute and replace single-use polybags. Jennifer Weil, WWD, 22 Oct. 2024 Furniture waste is challenging to manage, and manufacturers have historically focused on a single-use model. Christopher Marquis, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of single-use was in 1897

Dictionary Entries Near single-use

Cite this Entry

“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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