single-use
adjective
sin·gle-use
ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈyüs 
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
Anandi BarkerExamples of single-use in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the short term, the most noticeable change might be the absence of single-use coffee cups.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
The most common single-use plastic items included food wrappers, bottles, bottle caps/rings, cigarette butts, wipes, and fragments.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2025
Or, unavoidable straw use can be offset by avoiding something else, like disposable single-use plastic bottles, the main source of microplastics in the human body.
—Genia Naro MacIel, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
Gone are the days of virgin fur, wild animal skins, and single-use plastics; this is fashion redesigned with intention.
—Stephan Rabimov, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Sea Shepherd Brazil and the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo estimate that 90 percent of the garbage on Brazil’s beaches is plastic, with single-use items making up 61 percent of that total.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 4 Apr. 2025
Richmond City Council is considering enacting a 5-cent tax on most single-use plastic bags, The Richmonder reports.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Simply sign up for the newsletter to receive a single-use coupon code for 15% off your first order.
—Jenifer Calle, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2025
Anyone who appreciates a great designer’s improvement on a commonplace item can understand the brilliance of Origin’s PET bottle caps for single-use water and carbonated beverage bottles.
—Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
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Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
The most common single-use plastic items included food wrappers, bottles, bottle caps/rings, cigarette butts, wipes, and fragments.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2025
Or, unavoidable straw use can be offset by avoiding something else, like disposable single-use plastic bottles, the main source of microplastics in the human body.
—Genia Naro MacIel, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
Gone are the days of virgin fur, wild animal skins, and single-use plastics; this is fashion redesigned with intention.
—Stephan Rabimov, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Sea Shepherd Brazil and the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo estimate that 90 percent of the garbage on Brazil’s beaches is plastic, with single-use items making up 61 percent of that total.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 4 Apr. 2025
Richmond City Council is considering enacting a 5-cent tax on most single-use plastic bags, The Richmonder reports.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Simply sign up for the newsletter to receive a single-use coupon code for 15% off your first order.
—Jenifer Calle, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2025
Anyone who appreciates a great designer’s improvement on a commonplace item can understand the brilliance of Origin’s PET bottle caps for single-use water and carbonated beverage bottles.
—Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Single-use.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-use. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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