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

He used to be a three-sport athlete at San Dimas, which has long used the Wing-T offense in football.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026

The restaurant at his casino, which used to operate around the clock, has laid off about 20 employees and switched to a buffet format that is open only in the morning.

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026

Engine oil is used in equipment ranging from lawn mowers and passenger cars to jet engines, so industries depend on a steady supply of the materials used to make lubricants.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026

She might need a little more oversight than you are used to giving.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

They weren’t nearly as smooth or even as the thread his father used to make, but they’d do.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver