moth·ball
ˈmȯth-ˌbȯl
1
: a ball made formerly of camphor but now often of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene and used to keep moths away from clothing
2
mothballs plural
: a condition of protective storage
put the ships in mothballs after the war
also
: a state of having been rejected for further use or dismissed from further consideration
a … script he should have kept in mothballs. —Rolling Stone
mothballed; mothballing; mothballs
1
: to deactivate (something, such as a ship) and prevent deterioration chiefly by dehumidification
2
: to withdraw from use or service and keep in reserve : put aside
mothballed the plans for the project
Cite this Entry
“Mothball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mothball. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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