as in to dismantle
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 mothball
The structure could be mothballed sometime next year until a plan for its reuse is determined.
—
Jason Clayworth, Axios, 15 Jan. 2025
The distillery operated sporadically before being mothballed in 1998 and demolished in 2013.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
After being mothballed in 1997, the site became somewhat of an obsession for geologists and entrepreneurs who recognized how much valuable ore remained.
—Christopher Helman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Three Mile Island’s reactor has been mothballed for five years, not just one.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for mothball
Jason Clayworth, Axios, 15 Jan. 2025
The distillery operated sporadically before being mothballed in 1998 and demolished in 2013.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
After being mothballed in 1997, the site became somewhat of an obsession for geologists and entrepreneurs who recognized how much valuable ore remained.
—Christopher Helman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Three Mile Island’s reactor has been mothballed for five years, not just one.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for mothball
Cite this Entry
“Mothball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mothball. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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