Unused

/ʌnˈjuːzd/

adjectiveBeginner📊CommonDescriptive
1 meaning3 questions

Definitions

1

Not used or not having been used.

/ʌnˈjuːzd/

adjectiveneutralBeginner
Descriptive

Not having been put to use.

The unused notebooks were stacked on the shelf.

💡 Simply: It's like having a toy that you haven't played with yet, or food that's still in the fridge waiting to be eaten.

👶 For kids: When something hasn't been used before.

More Examples

2

She sold her unused gym membership.

3

The unused ingredients sat in the pantry, waiting for a recipe.

How It's Used

General

"The unused equipment sat in the warehouse."

Technology

"The unused software license was sold to another company."

Synonyms & Antonyms

From 'un-' (not) + 'used', derived from the past participle of 'use', which comes from Old French 'user' meaning 'to use'.

The word 'unused' has been used since the 17th century, with its meaning staying relatively consistent over time.

Memory tip

Think of a new, unopened present – it's unused until someone opens it.

Word Origin

LanguageOld French
Original meaning

"user"

unused equipmentunused portionunused spaceunused capacityunused tickets

Common misspellings

un-used

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written