obsolescence

American  

[ob-suh-les-uhns] / ˌɒb səˈlɛs əns /

noun

1. the state, process, or condition of being or becoming obsolete.

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obsolescence Cultural  

1. A decline in the value of equipment or of a product brought about by an introduction of new technology or by changes in demand. (See planned obsolescence.)

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Etymology

Origin of obsolescence

First recorded in 1820–30; obsolesc(ent) + -ence

Explanation

Fashion trends come and go, and often return after a time. But gimmicky fads quickly fall into obsolescence, losing appeal and falling out of sight — do you know anyone who still has a pet rock? The word obsolescence is the noun form of the more common obsolete, meaning "something no longer used." Both words stem from the Latin obsolēscere, which means, logically enough, "to fall into disuse." Your phone or your car may be designed for obsolescence, meaning they are meant to stop working or go out of style so you'll buy a newer model. More amusingly, TV personality Art Linkletter once commented, "The four stages of man are infancy, childhood, adolescence, and obsolescence.”

Example Sentences

Current and former workers at the plant described the obsolescence rationale as camouflage for a cold-eyed decision to offshore manufacturing to a lower-cost country.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

“My own view is that AI will indeed be revolutionary, but many of the claims around imminent mass job losses and widespread software obsolescence were overstated,” Reid wrote.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

The film vaults across eight decades, but tonally it’s as still as a rabbit snare, letting the audience creep up to its theme of human obsolescence.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

Those are the ones most vulnerable to disruption and obsolescence in the long term.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

There are pyramids of imported chocolates, an ice cream counter, aisles and aisles of fancy cookies and canned gourmet food, ticking away like little clocks toward the obsolescence dates stamped on their packages.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• annihilation
• destruction
• elimination