used

[yoozd, yoost]

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.

used

/ juːzd /

adjective

1. bought or sold second-hand

   used cars

Other Word Forms

• half-used adjective
• well-used adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of used¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. used to, accustomed or habituated to.

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

More idioms and phrases containing used

• it takes getting used to
• use

Example Sentences

The test program will be used to determine whether the project, which is not yet officially titled, gets ordered for a series.

From Los Angeles Times

Such schemes are also used in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

From BBC

The military, he declared, should be used to fight “the enemy within” — and America’s “inner cities” should be used for “training grounds.”

From Salon

She said that during filming there had been an agreement the church could still be used for Sunday worship, but "the rest of the time there were security guards on the door".

From BBC

Western security agencies say these funds are used to finance North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development programs.

From BBC

When To Use

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.