unused
5 synonyms and 3 antonyms for unused, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Not put to use.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Not put to use.
“The gift card sat unused in her wallet for a year.”
Opposites
2. adjective
Not familiar or accustomed to something.
“I am unused to the dark nights of the countryside.”
Opposites
How to use unused
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
unused to
sit unused
remain unused
Etymology
From un- (\"not\") plus used.
Full origin of unused →Frequently asked questions
What does “unused” mean?
The word “unused” means not put to use. In plain terms, either never put to use, or not used to (not accustomed to) something.
How do you pronounce “unused”?
“Unused” is pronounced uhn-YOOZD (/ʌnˈjuzd/ in IPA).
How do you use “unused” in a sentence?
Here is “unused” used in a sentence: “The gift card sat unused in her wallet for a year.”
What part of speech is “unused”?
“Unused” is an adjective.
Is “unused” a common word?
“Unused” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “unused” have?
“Unused” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not put to use.
What is the difference between unused and used?
Unused describes something that has never been put into service or has not been used for its intended purpose, such as an unused ticket or unused land. Used indicates the item has already served its function at least once. The distinction matters for products, resources, and legal or financial contexts like refunds.
What does it mean when someone is unused to something?
When applied to people, unused means not familiar or accustomed to a particular situation, such as being unused to cold weather or unused to public speaking. This sense is usually followed by 'to' plus a noun or gerund, as in 'unused to waiting.'
Is unused the same as unaccustomed?
They overlap closely in the sense describing a lack of familiarity with something, and are often interchangeable, as in 'unused to criticism' versus 'unaccustomed to criticism.' However, unused also has a separate, more common meaning of an object simply never having been utilized, which unaccustomed does not share.
