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.
An easy place to begin making the shift away from single-use plastic is with beverage and food containers. — Kelley Dennings, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2026 So if your Gen Alpha kid is calling you out on buying single-use plastic or asking where your reusable grocery bags are in the grocery line, be excited instead of too annoyed. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 14 June 2026 This special event will kick off Plastic Free July, a global movement that encourages people to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics and make more sustainable choices. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 At Kanuhura, there are no single-use plastics (front and back of house), wastewater is recycled, food waste is composted, and nearly 50 kilos of herbs and vegetables are harvested from organic gardens every month. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for single-use

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

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

Rhymes for single-use

See All Rhymes for single-use

Browse Nearby Words

singletree
single-use
single-valued
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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