disposable
Americanadjective
-
designed for or capable of being thrown away after being used or used up.
disposable plastic spoons; a disposable cigarette lighter.
-
free for use; available.
Every disposable vehicle was sent.
noun
-
disposables
plural
adjective
-
designed for disposal after use
disposable cups
-
available for use if needed
disposable assets
noun
-
something, such as a baby's nappy, that is designed for disposal
-
(plural) short for disposable goods
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of disposable
Explanation
Something disposable is not meant to last. It's OK to throw it out after you use it. Disposable diapers are a good example of what the word disposable is all about: after the diaper is used, it goes straight into the trash, and you can't use it again. Something disposable is replaceable. If a boss decides an employee is disposable, that means the employee will probably be fired. As you can imagine, people don't like to feel disposable. Lots of people don't like products that are disposable either. Disposing of things just creates more garbage, which is bad for the environment. Usually, things that are recyclable are better.
Vocabulary lists containing disposable
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Mockingjay
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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.
See Examples For:
When disposable vape cartridges are put in garbage or recycling bins, they can be crushed by garbage trucks and sorting equipment at waste facilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Northern Ireland is in the middle of the pack overall with real disposable income per person of £22,258, marginally below the north west of England.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Real disposable income per person in Northern Ireland rose by 4.1% in 2024, the biggest rise of any UK region, new figures suggest.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Garcia-Herrero said there are "so many reasons" for a lack of demand in the housing sector, including stagnant disposable income for households and a shrinking population.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
He nodded, held up a litde disposable camera and snapped a picture of us.
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
His philosophy is to use features like color, weight, and shape to communicate containers’ reusability, making it less plausible that people will confuse them for disposables.
From Salon ● May 2, 2024
"Yes we need movement on disposables, but we don't need it in four years' time. We need it now," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2023
It favours higher taxes on disposables and stronger controls on import and sales, deputy chief executive Hazel Cheeseman said.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2023
Indeed, the FDA’s King says the agency already has ample authority to regulate disposables.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 26, 2023
Today's cameras-from the disposables to the fully automated-encapsulate everything we have to know to operate them.
From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Mihai Nadin
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.
