used to

British  

/ juːst /

adjective

1. made familiar with; accustomed to

   I am used to hitchhiking

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verb

1. (takes an infinitive or implied infinitive) used as an auxiliary to express habitual or accustomed actions, states, etc, taking place in the past but not continuing into the present

   I don't drink these days, but I used to

   I used to fish here every day

used to Idioms  

1. Accustomed or habituated to. This expression is often put as , as in I'm not used to driving a manual-shift car , or She can't get used to calling him Dad . [Early 1500s]

2. Formerly. This sense is used with a following verb to indicate a past state, as in I used to ride my bicycle to the post office , or This used to be the best restaurant in town . [Late 1800s]

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Usage

The most common negative form of used to is didn't used to (or didn't use to ), but in formal contexts used not to is preferred

Example Sentences

Freddie Couples used to roll out of bed and find the Masters Top 10 like a plumber fixing a sink.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

We used to have pool parties up here with our cousins.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

The deletion of such a large number of names has sharpened concerns over errors, exclusion risks and the criteria used to determine "valid" voters.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

It seemed to be a small but central spot for dino-lovers to gather, a glimpse of the welcoming place the web used to be — or, appeared to be.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026

“I just thought that I might be able to help you improve your form even more. Given that I used to lay down a pretty good fly, I might be of help.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam