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Synonyms

unused

American  
[uhn-yoozd, uhn-yoost] / ʌnˈyuzd, ʌnˈyust /

adjective

  1. not used; not put to use.

    an unused room.

  2. never having been used.

    an unused postage stamp.

  3. not accustomed.

    unused to cold winters.
unused British  

adjective

  1. not being or never having been made use of

  2. not accustomed or used (to something)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unused

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at un- 1, used

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.

Unused 529 funds can also be rolled into a Roth IRA, with restrictions such as a $35,000 lifetime limit.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

Unused lines can become energized from electrified lines running parallel to them through a process called induction.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2025

Unused Paraguay substitute Omar Alderete was shown a red card and US midfielder Cristian Roldan and Paraguay's Junior Alonso each received a yellow as order was restored and the final minutes played.

From Barron's • Nov. 16, 2025

Unused to musical democracy, members make compromises and concessions that dilute what makes them unique.

From BBC • Sep. 4, 2023

Unused as I was to strangers, it was rather a trial to appear thus formally summoned in Mr. Rochester’s presence.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.