obsolescence
Americannoun
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.”
Vocabulary lists containing obsolescence
Power Suffix: -escence
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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.
“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
But a funny thing—socioculturally—happened on Mazda’s way to obsolescence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
One day the mighty data centre could be toppled into obsolescence by the humble smartphone, said Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas on a recent podcast.
From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026
The EU's consumer strategy presented on Wednesday seeks to promote sustainable consumption and prevent planned obsolescence, which is when companies programme products to become out of date after a certain period.
From Barron's • Nov. 19, 2025
That word, plastered, on the brink of obsolescence, indicates to me what sort of an event that was.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
