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.
The move, while considered largely symbolic, undoes part of a Biden Administration initiative aimed at phasing out the use of single-use plastics, such as plastic straws and water bottles, from all federal operations by 2035. Simmone Shah, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025 Biden ordered the federal government last summer to phase out the purchase of single-use plastics, such as straws, from food service operations, events and packaging by 2027 and from all federal operations by 2035. Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025 There’s no single-use plastic used at the Cap Juluca Spa by Guerlain; instead, guests drink from refillable aluminum amenity bottles. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2025 This week, President Donald Trump reversed course on a Biden administration environmental initiative that had eliminated single-use plastics like straws in federal buildings. Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025 Leavitt said that polls conducted by her organization show that 80% of U.S. voters support regulations that would require companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and food ware. Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2025 The Biden administration had planned to phase out single-use plastics across all U.S. federal agencies and operations by 2035, which Trump rescinded with his latest order. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025 The Republican president is set to roll back policy brought in by his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, who had tried to phase out all federal purchases of single-use plastics (such as straws) completely by 2035. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025 Coke has come under fire for its single-use plastic production, and late last year cut its sustainability goals. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near single-use

Cite this Entry

“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

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