Showing results for "used"

• past tense form of use.
• past participle of use.

used

American  

[yoozd, yoost] / juzd, just /

adjective

1. previously used or owned; secondhand.

   a used car.

2. showing wear or being worn out.

   a thrift store that accepts used clothing.

3. employed for a purpose; utilized.

   a frequently used dictionary.

---

idioms

1. used to, accustomed or habituated to.

   I'm not used to cold weather. They weren't used to getting up so early.

used British  

/ juːzd /

adjective

1. bought or sold second-hand

   used cars

---

used More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing used

• it takes getting used to
• use

---

Usage

What is another way to say used? Something that is used has been employed for a purpose or previously owned. Used is the past participle of the general verb use. Do you know the difference between use and utilize? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

• half-used
  adjective
• well-used
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of used

First recorded in 1325–75; use + -ed ²

Explanation

If something is used, that means it has been owned by someone else. If you buy used textbooks, that means they’re not new — someone else owned them and read them before you did. If you sell used cars, that means you’re selling cars that have already had at least one owner. Used can also describe things that have already served their purpose. Used batteries aren't good anymore: their power has been used up. People can also be used, and in this sense the word means “taken advantage of.” You might feel used by your neighbor if she's only nice to you when she needs you to water her plants.

Example Sentences

They also used instruments that measured CO2 levels in tree canopies every hour and sensors attached to tree trunks that tracked tiny changes in trunk size throughout the day.

From Science Daily • Jul. 9, 2026

Eventually, they used stray dogs, hoping they could detect the scent of flesh.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

"You need those top facilities for players in Europe who are used to it," added Ward.

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026

He used to stop at Buc-ee’s to gas up and get a brisket taco, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

Now, Clare was not used to defending himself.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman