single-use
adjective
sin·gle-use
ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈyüs 
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
Anandi BarkerExamples of single-use in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
PepsiCo will provide reusable cups in an effort to reduce single-use plastic, continuing a pilot program the company launched with the San Francisco 49ers for the 2025 to 2026 season, the company said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 Feb. 2026
The proposal would ban the sale and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles and paper cartons of still water under one gallon in the eastern portion of the county, from Donner Summit to North Lake Tahoe.
—Conor McGill, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Eco effort To cut down on single-use plastics, each guest receives an aluminum bottle that can be filled at a Vero water machine with room-temperature, chilled, or sparkling water.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
Numbers 1, 3, and 6 also represent plastics that are single-use-only.
—Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Requirements include taking responsibility for their environmental impact by measuring and offsetting carbon emissions, and by eliminating the use of single-use plastic hangers and garment bags.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 26 Jan. 2026
Leftovers That Need Reheating Restaurants often provide single-use plastic containers for takeout orders and leftovers.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 26 Jan. 2026
The company prides itself on offering customizable temperatures, flavors, textures, and functional add-ins like vitamins, protein, caffeine, and soon, even collagen, all without any single-use plastic bottles.
—William Jones, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
California has not figured out how to reduce single-use plastic.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
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Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 Feb. 2026
The proposal would ban the sale and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles and paper cartons of still water under one gallon in the eastern portion of the county, from Donner Summit to North Lake Tahoe.
—Conor McGill, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Eco effort To cut down on single-use plastics, each guest receives an aluminum bottle that can be filled at a Vero water machine with room-temperature, chilled, or sparkling water.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
Numbers 1, 3, and 6 also represent plastics that are single-use-only.
—Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Requirements include taking responsibility for their environmental impact by measuring and offsetting carbon emissions, and by eliminating the use of single-use plastic hangers and garment bags.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 26 Jan. 2026
Leftovers That Need Reheating Restaurants often provide single-use plastic containers for takeout orders and leftovers.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 26 Jan. 2026
The company prides itself on offering customizable temperatures, flavors, textures, and functional add-ins like vitamins, protein, caffeine, and soon, even collagen, all without any single-use plastic bottles.
—William Jones, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
California has not figured out how to reduce single-use plastic.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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