Sentences with the word Used?
Used
Examples
- «He appended a glossary to his novel where he used an invented language»
- «nouns are frequently used adjectively»
- «he used that word intentionally»; «I did this by choice»
- «in Yemen kat is used daily by 85% of adults»
- «the program was on the air from 9 til midnight»; «the president used the airwaves to take his message to the people»
- «You find fast food stores everywhere»; «people everywhere are becoming aware of the problem»; «he carried a gun everywhere he went»; «looked all over for a suitable gift»; (`everyplace’ is used informally for `everywhere’)
- «Felix became a herpetologist instead»; «alternatively we could buy a used car»
- «you can find this food anywhere»; (`anyplace’ is used informally for `anywhere’)
- «apprehensive about her job»; «not used to a city and worried about small things»; «felt apprehensive about the consequences»
- «it used to drive my husband balmy»
- «he used all his conversational weapons»
- «asphyxiation is sometimes used as a form of torture»
- «ATM is used for both LAN and WAN»
- «Muscles that are not used will atrophy»
- «unfortunately some writers have used bar for one dyne per square centimeter»
- «he hardly ever goes fishing»; «he was scarce sixteen years old»; «they scarcely ever used the emergency generator»; «I can hardly hear what she is saying»; «she barely seemed to notice him»; «we were so far back in the theater, we could barely read the subtitles»
- «glycerinated gelatin is used as a base for many ointments»; «he told the painter that he wanted a yellow base with just a hint of green»; «everything she cooked seemed to have rice as the base»
- «Thugs beat him up when he walked down the street late at night»; «The teacher used to beat the students»
- «he used pliers as a bender»
- «he used a bill to prune branches off of the tree»
- «since blocks are often defined as a single sector, the terms `block’ and `sector’ are sometimes used interchangeably»
- «Al Smith used to say, `Let’s look at the record'»; «his name is in all the record books»
- «he used a large book as a doorstop»
- «computers are now widely used in business»
- «the cabinetmaker used a plane for the finish work»
- «he used a handcart to carry the rocks away»; «their pushcart was piled high with groceries»
- «he used a book as a stop to hold the door open»
- «he used sarcasm to upset his opponent»; «irony is wasted on the stupid»; «Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own»—Jonathan Swift
- «he got change for a twenty and used it to pay the taxi driver»
- «`when I was a girl,’ she said chattily, `I used to ride a bicycle'»
- «a dirty fighter»; «used foul means to gain power»; «a nasty unsporting serve»; «fined for unsportsmanlike behavior»
- «Doctors used to put people under by chloroforming them»
- «they used the elephants to help put up the circus»
- «of what coarse metal ye are molded»- Shakespeare; «produced…the common cloths used by the poorer population»
- «he used his computer to make a collage of pictures superimposed on a map»
- «she used a different color for the trim»
- «the newspaper devoted several columns to the subject»; «the bookkeeper used pages that were divided into columns»
- «compressed air is often used to power machines»
- «lard was also used, though its congener, butter, was more frequently employed»; «the American shopkeeper differs from his European congener»
- «the assignment was to make a construction that could be used in proving the Pythagorean theorem»
- «he used his business contacts to get an introduction to the governor»
- «`continual’ is often used interchangeably with `continuous'»
- «the circus used a tent as their cookhouse»
- «he added more coolant to the car’s radiator»; «the atomic reactor used a gas coolant»; «lathe operators use an emulsion of oil and water as a coolant for the cutting tool»
- «adrenal cortical steroids are used to treat many different conditions»
- «a counter may be used to stiffen the material around the heel and to give support to the foot»
- «he used a dampener to moisten the shirts before he ironed them»
- «used devious means to achieve success»; «gave oblique answers to direct questions»; «oblique political maneuvers»
- «dirty» is often used in combination; «a dirty (or dingy) white»; «the muddied grey of the sea»; «muddy colors»; «dirty-green walls»; «dirty-blonde hair»
- «used all the resources at his disposal»
- «plants of several distinct types»; «the word `nationalism’ is used in at least two distinct senses»; «gold is distinct from iron»; «a tree related to but quite distinct from the European beech»; «management had interests quite distinct from those of their employees»
- «she used an eye dropper to administer medication to the eyes»
- «the Early Hebrew alphabetical script is that used mainly from the 11th to the 6th centuries B.C.»; «Early Modern English is represented in documents printed from 1476 to 1700»
- «an economical meal»; «an economical shopper»; «a frugal farmer»; «a frugal lunch»; «a sparing father and a spending son»; «sparing in their use of heat and light»; «stinting in bestowing gifts»; «thrifty because they remember the great Depression»; «`scotch’ is used only informally»
- «they used cattle prods to administer electric shocks»
- «in careful usage the noun enormity is not used to express the idea of great size»; «universities recognized the enormity of their task»
- «equal temperament is the system commonly used in keyboard instruments»
- «after going out of his way to help his friend get the job he felt not appreciated but used«
- «he used the wrong exposure»
- «oxidation ponds are extensively used for sewage treatment in the Midwest»
- «the United States, up to the 1920s, used fuel lavishly, mainly because it was so cheap»
- «they used face recognition to spot known terrorists»
- «in the middle ages feria was used with a prefixed ordinal number to designate the day of the week, so `secunda feria’ meant Monday, but Sunday and Saturday were always called by their names, Dominicus and Sabbatum, and so feria came to mean an ordinary weekday»
- «working in a foreign country takes a bit of getting used to»
- «glazed pottery»; «glassy porcelain»; «hard vitreous china used for plumbing fixtures»
- «a beautiful figure which she used in subtle movements of unparalleled grace»
- «heavy artillery»; «heavy infantry»; «a heavy cruiser»; «heavy guns»; «heavy industry involves large-scale production of basic products (such as steel) used by other industries»
- «the heedless generosity and the spasmodic extravagance of persons used to large fortunes»- Edith Wharton; «reckless squandering of public funds»
- «all the world loves a lover»; «she always used `humankind’ because `mankind’ seemed to slight the women»
- «The King used to hunt these forests»
- «imprecise astronomical observations»; «the terms he used were imprecise and emotional»
- «crossed the river on improvised bridges»; «the survivors used jury-rigged fishing gear»; «the rock served as a makeshift hammer»
- «inflectional morphology is used to indicate number and case and tense and person etc.»
- «used her parents’ influence to get the job»
- «humans are innately inhumane; this explains much of the misery and suffering in the world»; «biological weapons are considered too inhumane to be used«
- «these intelligence tests were used injudiciously for many years»
- «rather than disappoint the children, he did two quick tricks before he left»; «he didn’t call; rather (or instead), he wrote her a letter»; «used English terms instead of Latin ones»
- «they used to think that intelligence is what an intelligence test tests»
- «inventors seem to have chosen intuitively a combination of explosive and aggressive sounds as warning signals to be used on automobiles»
- «in the seventeenth century England had known fifty years of doctrinal quarrels and civil war; clergymen had been turned from their cures, and churches irreverently used«
- «a leveraged buyout by upper management can be used to combat hostile takeover bids»
- «laser-guided bombs cannot be used in cloudy weather»
- «he used his wits to get ahead»; «I was scared out of my wits»; «he still had all his marbles and was in full possession of a lively mind»
- «MDMA is often used at parties because it enables partygoers to remain active for long periods of time»
- «he made a moon lamp that he used as a night light»; «the clock had a moon that showed various phases»
- «the senators used their muscle to get the party leader to resign»
- «they used bales of newspaper every day»
- «the Nigerian capital used to be Lagos»
- «a nonstandard dialect is one used by uneducated speakers or socially disfavored groups»; «the common core of nonstandard words and phrases in folk speech»- A.R.Dunlap
- «European emigres, who notoriously used to repair to the British Museum to write seditious pamphlets»
- «an overland journey»; «the overland route used by Marco Polo»
- «the public address system in the hospital was used for paging»
- «a panoptic aerial photograph of the missile base»; «a panoptic stain used in microscopy»
- «parity is often used to check the integrity of transmitted data»
- «he used a pick to clean the dirt out of the cracks»
- «they used picks and sledges to break the rocks»
- «used plagiarized data in his thesis»; «a work dotted with plagiarized phrases»
- «the police used a plant to trick the thieves»; «he claimed that the evidence against him was a plant»
- «The kids were playing outside all day»; «I used to play with trucks as a little girl»
- «it is used as a reference for comparing the heating and the electrical energy involved»
- «expanded polystyrene looks like a rigid white foam and is used as packing or insulation»
- «they used a power play to return the kickoff»
- «he gave the button a press»; «he used pressure to stop the bleeding»; «at the pressing of a button»
- «the government used price supports to maintain the price floor»
- «he resigned because his boss used him as a punching bag»
- «they used to drive the cattle across the open range every spring»; «he dreamed of a home on the range»
- «the cardboard backing was just a strengthener»; «he used gummed reinforcements to hold the page in his notebook»
- «he remembered how he used to pick flowers»
- «repeaters can be used in computer networks to extend cabling distances»
- «she used rolling r’s as in Spanish»
- «people used to salt meats on ships»
- «they used scanners to monitor police radio channels»
- «he used a scoop to serve the ice cream»
- «Scots Gaelic»; «the Scots community in New York»; «`Scottish’ tends to be the more formal term as in `The Scottish Symphony’ or `Scottish authors’ or `Scottish mountains'»; «`Scotch’ is in disfavor with Scottish people and is used primarily outside Scotland except in such frozen phrases as `Scotch broth’ or `Scotch whiskey’ or `Scotch plaid'»
- «bought a secondhand (or used) car»
- «a section of a fishing rod»; «metal sections were used below ground»; «finished the final segment of the road»
- «they used umbrellas as shades»; «as the sun moved he readjusted the shade»
- «a term that is used signally rather than symbolically»
- «gypsum can be used as a soil conditioner»
- «he used a solution of peroxide and water»
- «she must be somewhere»; (`someplace’ is used informally for `somewhere’)
- «the sperm count is used as an indicator of male fertility»
- «they used spikes to fasten the rails to a railroad tie»
- «he used his knife as a spreader»
- «the besiegers used starvation to induce surrender»; «they were charged with the starvation of children in their care»
- «used many strange words»; «saw many strange faces in the crowd»; «don’t let anyone unknown into the house»
- «the government used suppressive measures to control the protest»
- «he used a piece of tape for a belt»; «he wrapped a tape around the package»
- «the carpenter should have used his tape measure»
- «a teaser is used to disentangle the fibers»
- «technically, a bank’s reserves belong to the stockholders»; «technically, the term is no longer used by experts»
- «he used the privileges of his office temperately»
- «he used terror to make them confess»
- «starch is used in cooking as a thickening»
- «they used to do the threshing by hand but now there are machines to do it»
- «Horses used to tow barges along the canal»
- «the sludge of treated sewage can be used as fertilizer»; «treated timbers resist rot»; «treated fabrics resist wrinkling»
- «he used a spinner as his troll»
- «inside Paris, they used to tube mail»
- «in a unary operation in a mathematical system one element is used to yield a single result»
- «used unfair methods»; «it was an unfair trial»; «took an unfair advantage»
- «She uses her influential friends to get jobs»; «The president’s wife used her good connections»
- «She used to call her mother every week but now she calls only occasionally»; «I used to get sick when I ate in that dining hall»; «They used to vacation in the Bahamas»; «she used to be his best friend and now they are enemies»
- «the principle of surprise is the most used and misused of all the principles of war»- H.H.Arnold & I.C.Eaker
- «accustomed to doing her own work»; «I’ve grown accustomed to her face»; «we are used to better service in this restaurant»
- «the Uzi is used throughout the world as a police and special forces firearm»
- «the Conservative manifesto is a model of vagueness»; «these terms were used with a vagueness that suggested little or no thought about what each might convey»
- «he used a wad of cotton to wipe the counter»
- «whole blood is normally used in blood transfusions»
Used with adverbs:
«That is a commonly used phrase.«
(commonly, frequently, widely, regularly)
«Our rarely used piano is being sold.«
(rarely)
«We are donating lightly used clothes.«
(lightly)
Used with verbs:
«The couch is used, but we’ll take it anyway.«
(be: is/am/are, looks)
Used with nouns:
«Used books are cheaper than new ones.«
(books)
«He works at a used car dealership.«
(car)
«The charity takes used clothing.«
(clothing)
Adjective
The books on this shelf are used.
my grandmother has spent her whole life on the farm and is used to working hard
Recent Examples on the Web
Prep your used candle by removing any excess wax with a butter knife.
—
Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 7 Apr. 2023
The road to more reasonable prices for new and used cars remains littered with potholes.
—Christopher Hickey, CNN, 2 Apr. 2023
Last year, Ymani Wince opened The Noir Bookshop on hip Cherokee Street in St. Louis as a community hub offering new and used books by people of color, gifts, and pop-up events.
—Laura Randall, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2023
Grab a po’boy at Winnie’s or a coffee or cocktail at Double Trouble, then pop next door to peruse Sig’s Lagoon, a longtime record shop selling new and used vinyl, artwork, and more.
—Brittanie Shey, Chron, 20 Mar. 2023
Many drivers finance a new or used vehicle with a car loan.
—Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 13 Mar. 2023
The new and used bookstore opened in Locust Grove in late 2021.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2023
The Atlantic’s Ian Bogost noted in 2022 that manual transmissions were 15 percent of new and used car sales in 2000 — and just 2.4 percent two decades later.
—Joel Mathis, The Week, 6 Mar. 2023
For example, a record share of Americans are paying more than $1,000 a month for their car note now that auto loans rates are north of 6% for new and used vehicles.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘used.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Used to is a form of the verb used in the past tense. It is often used to describe a habit or custom that was common in the past, but no longer exists. We have 50 example sentences with used to.
- I used to go camping every summer.
- He used to be so smart in school, but now he’s dumb.
- I used to have a dog when I was a kid, but I don’t have one anymore.
- I used to watch the news every day, but now I don’t have time for it anymore.
- He used to play football when he was younger.
- We used to eat dinner together every night when we were kids.
- He used to be a good student, but now he’s not so good at school.
- I used to walk to school.
- We used to live in a small town.
- She used to play the guitar.
- I used to drink coffee every day, but now I drink tea.
- He used to smoke cigarettes, but he quit smoking about two years ago.
- We used to have a dog named Spot when we were kids, but we gave him away when we moved out of our house.
- I used to go to the movies with my friends on Friday nights.
- I used to live in New York City, but now I live in Chicago.
- My parents used to give me a lot of money when I was young so that I could buy toys and games.
- When I was younger, I used to play video games every day after school, but now that I have a job, I only play them once or twice a week.
- I used to play basketball.
- I used to work as a waitress.
- I used to like sports, but now I hate them!
- I used to be in shape, but now I’m out of shape!
- I used to go to bed at 9 PM and wake up at 6 AM daily.
- I used to have a dog, but he died last year.
- I used to be on a swim team when I was younger, but now I don’t swim at all.
- She used to live in France when she was younger, but now she lives in the U.S.A.
- We used to live in the city, but now we live in the country.
- He used to be a doctor, but now he’s an artist.
- They used to play baseball together when they were kids.
- My sister used to be an artist, but now she’s a lawyer.
- I used to be shy, but I’m not anymore.
- I used to live in a small town.
- I used to help my mother with the housework.
- I used to take piano lessons when I was a child.
- I used to go fishing with my father when I was young.
- I used to swim every year during summer vacation at school or in the public pool near my house.
- I used to go to the gym three times a week.
- I used to play tennis when I was a kid, but I haven’t played in years.
- I used to hate going to the dentist, but I’ve gotten over it now that I have good insurance and can afford the best dental care money can buy!
- We used to go out together every weekend when we were younger.
- You used to be so cheerful and happy all the time!
- Tom used to go fishing with his dad.
- I used to love chocolate ice cream.
- My parents used to fight all the time, but now they don’t anymore.
- We used to take walks in the park when we were dating.
- I used to have a job, but now I’m retired.
- I used to get angry when someone broke my stuff, but now that doesn’t happen anymore because I have learned how to control my emotions better.
- I used to hate cold weather, but now that I live in Colorado, I love it!
- I used to love working here, but now it’s just a job.
- I used to run every day, but lately, I’ve been too busy with work.
- She used to be shy, but now she’s very outgoing and friendly.
- He used to have red hair, but now it’s gray and thinning on top.
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What is the meaning of «used to»? With «used to» we talk about something that was regular, in the usual course of things but then changed.
- «used to» for habits and regular actions in the past. It means we don’t have these habits anymore and we don’t do these things any longer.
Examples
When we were kids, we used to play snowballs. We played snowballs every winter, but we don’t do that anymore.
I used to get up early when I was young, but now I’m not a morning person at all. I always got up early and it was normal, but not anymore.
I used to drink a lot of coffee but now I refrain from it. I had a habit of drinking a lot of coffee before, but now I don’t have it anymore.
- «used to» for states in the past which are not true any longer in the present time
Examples
Lisa used to have long hair, but now she has a short haircut. She had been wearing long hair for a long time until she had it cut.
Winters used to be very cold when I was a child, the climate has become much milder since that time. Winters were very cold but they aren’t anymore.
This building used to be a factory. A few years ago it was turned into an exhibition centre. It had been a factory for many years before it was reconstructed.
How to make sentences with «used to + infinitive»
«Used to» is always in the past simple. This is very important. In negative sentences, you can either say «didn’t use to» or «used not to». We form question sentences with «used to» according to the rules of the past simple.
| Sentence type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | I/you/he/she/it/we/they used to (do something) | I used to play the violin. |
| Negative | didn’t use to or used not to | I didn’t use to eat meat. I used not to eat meat. |
| Question | Did … use to (do something)? | Did your parents use to watch TV a lot? |
Pay attention
Don’t confuse used to with the set expression to be used to something/doing something. «To be used to» refers to the present and means «to be accustomed to something».
Compare these examples
I‘m used to hard work. It’s not unusual for me now.
I used to work very hard at my first job. I didn’t work that hard after that.
I‘m not used to eating with chopsticks. It’s unusual, I don’t have that skill.
I used to eat irregularly when I was a student. Now I’m not a student anymore and I eat regularly.
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