obsolescence

noun

ob·​so·​les·​cence ˌäb-sə-ˈle-sᵊn(t)s 

: the process of becoming obsolete or the condition of being nearly obsolete

the gradual obsolescence of machinery

reduced to obsolescence

the planned obsolescence of automobiles

Examples of obsolescence in a Sentence

the obsolescence of the old technology

Once a useful tool, slide rules have fallen into obsolescence.

Recent Examples on the Web

And Viserys coveting Dany was a sadistic example of his own obsolescence; while intermarriage may have been common for House Targaryen decades ago, Viserys clinging to customs of the past was a sign of his own unfitness to rule in the present. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 July 2024

Its reflections on the cruelty of aging and obsolescence, the addictive allure of fame, the currency of youth and beauty and the sad refuge of madness have never carried such sting. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Such strategies also help address the growing problem of property obsolescence. —Felicia Jackson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

With the five indelible sisters at its center and its elegant interweaving of Friel’s deep preoccupations—memory, loss of home and innocence, and Ireland’s inextricable knot of relationships with its own history, obsolescence, and progress—Lughnasa is a perennial favorite for revival. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1832, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing obsolescence

• built-in/planned obsolescence

Kids Definition

obsolescence

noun

ob·​so·​les·​cence ˌäb-sə-ˈles-ᵊn(t)s 

: the process of becoming obsolete or the state of being nearly obsolete

Legal Definition

obsolescence

noun

ob·​so·​les·​cence ˌäb-sə-ˈles-ᵊns 

: a loss in the utility or value of property that results over time from intrinsic limitations (as outmoded facilities) or external circumstances

Note: Obsolescence is usually distinguished from depreciation and physical deterioration.

— economic obsolescence

: obsolescence that results from external factors (as location) that render a property obsolete, no longer competitive, unattractive to purchasers or investors, or of decreasing usefulness

claimed that the appraisal failed to account for economic obsolescence resulting from an adjacent waste facility

— functional obsolescence \ ˈfəŋk-​shə-​nəl-​ \

: obsolescence deriving from a lack of adequate or appropriate equipment, space, or design