used

American  

[yoozd, yoost] / yuzd, yust /

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.

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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

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used More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing used

• it takes getting used to
• use

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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

Example Sentences

Higher fertilizer prices raise agricultural production costs, eventually feeding through to food prices, while semiconductor output could be affected by disruptions to shipments of helium, sulfur and petrochemical products used in chipmaking, the ADB said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

He said the price of gas, used to heat greenhouses, had increased by about 90%, while the cost of fertiliser, needed to feed crops, had also surged.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Blitz courts are primarily used for trials but also cover sentencing hearings and appeals.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

They’ve admitted to me that in the pilot, at the hotel, they used a scene where I’m looking at a tray of food, and they made it look like I was looking at Stephen.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

I must have led them up to Tante Jans’s front room that we used now as a parlor.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom