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.
The hotel’s sustainability initiatives include no single-use plastics, geothermal heating throughout the building, including the outdoor spa, and focus on sourcing hyperlocal ingredients for the restaurant. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025 Wrapping paper doesn't have to be a single-use item. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025 The law aims to reduce the industry's single-use plastic footprint. Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025 New Jersey, among other states, already has a ban on single-use plastic bags in place. Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025 Developers were granted a waiver from the Urban Design Commission in September 2024 to exceed the maximum height limit of nine stories for single-use buildings, to 14 stories tall. Samuel O'Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Dec. 2025 The patch comes packaged in a carrying case with single-use adhesive strips that keep the device sanitary for each use, as well as goggles for ensuring your eyes stay safe throughout the entire process. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 12 Dec. 2025 Given the price point and its single-use battery, this isn't for everyone. Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 10 Dec. 2025 The single-use loitering munitions are designed for autonomous flight and affordable mass deployment. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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