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 Words From

• 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

In addition to the idiom beginning with used , also see it takes getting used to . Also see under use .

Example Sentences

Both groups of data are used by the artificial intelligence algorithms developed at the Leibniz-IZW.

From Science Daily

Researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland have developed a new method of growing organic crystals that can be used for energy-harvesting applications.

From Science Daily

However, for this technology to be commercially viable, scientists need to tackle the challenge of improving both the stability and efficiency, especially around the lead-tin perovskite cell used in this design.

From Science Daily

Humans have long used slow breathing to regulate their emotions, and practices like yoga and mindfulness have even popularized formal techniques like box breathing.

From Science Daily

In both computational models and laboratory experiments, the team of scientists used cell density as an effective tool for controlling how mouse cells pattern themselves into complex structures.

From Science Daily

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.