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

Permanence, not obsolescence, must be our guiding principle. —Rick Tumlinson, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2025

For all of his carping about NATO’s free-riding obsolescence, Trump oversaw the alliance’s expansion, backing the addition of Montenegro during his first year in office. —Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2025

The obsolescence of those codes, Fernandes proposed, may have less to do with social tolerance than with alternative ways of connecting, such as dating apps. —Nancy Princenthal, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025

Planned obsolescence has generated reliable revenue streams, but at a devastating cost: mounting environmental waste, eroding customer trust, and missed opportunities for deeper customer relationships. —Vijay Govindarajan, Harvard Business Review, 18 Dec. 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