Meaning & use
nonrenewable
Last updated
UK/ˌnɒnrɪˈnjuːəbl/
US/ˌnɑːnrɪˈnuːəbl/
Meaning
adjectivenot comparable
Not able to be replaced once used up, especially describing a natural resource.
Grammar: Used before a noun; it has no comparative or superlative forms.
Patterns
- nonrenewable resource
- nonrenewable energy
Coal and oil are nonrenewable resources that will eventually run out.
Many countries are trying to reduce their use of nonrenewable energy.
The report warns that relying on nonrenewable fuels is unsustainable.
Common combinations
- nonrenewable resource
- Fossil fuels are a classic example of a nonrenewable resource.
- nonrenewable energy
- The government is investing less in nonrenewable energy.
- nonrenewable source
- We need to find alternatives to nonrenewable sources.
- nonrenewable fuel
- Gasoline is a nonrenewable fuel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- finite
- Means limited in amount, but can describe anything, not just resources that cannot be replaced.
Opposites
Word family
Practice
Which sentence uses 'nonrenewable' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Nonrenewable means it cannot be replaced once used up, like coal. Options 1 and 3 confuse it with renewable, and option 4 states the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nonrenewable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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