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.
Plastic bags will be banned altogether in Oak Park in 2030, while single-use paper bags will cost users 25 cents each. — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026 Bruce Power has been producing cobalt-60 since 1986, supplying isotopes used to sterilize approximately 30 per cent of the world’s single-use medical devices. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026 The handful of minor failures with the Falcon 9 have centered on the rocket’s single-use upper stage. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 It’s caused a welcome resurgence that has staying power, as hostesses trade single-use trays for glass platters and creative shoppers purchase tumblers to store their makeup brushes. — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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