used to

British  

/ juːst /

adjective

1. made familiar with; accustomed to

   I am used to hitchhiking

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verb

1. (takes an infinitive or implied infinitive) used as an auxiliary to express habitual or accustomed actions, states, etc, taking place in the past but not continuing into the present

   I don't drink these days, but I used to

   I used to fish here every day

used to Idioms  

1. Accustomed or habituated to. This expression is often put as , as in I'm not used to driving a manual-shift car , or She can't get used to calling him Dad . [Early 1500s]

2. Formerly. This sense is used with a following verb to indicate a past state, as in I used to ride my bicycle to the post office , or This used to be the best restaurant in town . [Late 1800s]

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Usage

The most common negative form of used to is didn't used to (or didn't use to ), but in formal contexts used not to is preferred

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

used to

For economists and policymakers, the producer-price index report is noteworthy mostly because some of its underlying figures are used to calculate the Fed’s preferred inflation metric, the price index of personal-consumption expenditures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

“U.S. Lime has a net-cash balance sheet. Texas is continuing to grow. Lime slurry is used to stabilize the ground for construction in Texas,” Monroe said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

The scientists say that the country's climate is "on the move" as northern areas of Britain now see warmer temperatures that used to only affect southern England.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

But if you really adore the art form, Letterboxd’s popularity is a rare net positive in an era when tech is largely being used to pit humanity against art and each other.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026

We had gotten used to her being home late these days.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo