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Definitions

used

[yoozd, yoost] / yuzd, yust /
ADJECTIVE
secondhand
Synonyms
STRONG
recycled worn
WEAK
hand-me-down nearly new not new passed down pre-owned

Usage

What is another way to say used? What is used often has depreciated or been diminished, sometimes completely consumed: a used automobile; All the butter has been used. Used is the past participle of use, which is a general verb: to use a telephone; to use a saw and other tools; to use one's eyes; to use eggs in cooking. As applied to persons, use implies some selfish or sinister purpose: to use another to advance oneself. Utilize implies practical or profitable use: to utilize the means at hand, a modern system of lighting.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And so we canceled our vacation, rented a minivan and made our way to Connecticut for a three-day stay at a motel not too far from the house I used to own.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

If you want to see what Coachella used to look like, take a trip down memory lane with our gallery of photos going back to 1999.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Snow Secure uses a similar concept, with a cooling blanket made from a material commonly used as home insulation in Finland.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

“Some are better for presenting, some are better for research, but all have to be used with caution.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

For thirty years she had worked as a governess in wealthy families and she continually compared our behavior with that of the young ladies and gentlemen she was used to.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom