Meaning & use
reuse
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Meaning
verbtransitive
To use something again, either for the same purpose or a different one, instead of throwing it away.
Grammar: Takes an object: reuse the bottle.
Patterns
- reuse something
- reuse something for something
- reuse something as something
We reuse glass jars to store leftovers.
The city reuses treated water for watering parks.
She reused the old wood as a shelf.
Word forms
| third person singular | reuses |
|---|---|
| past tense | reused |
| past participle | reused |
| -ing form | reusing |
Common combinations
- reuse water
- The factory reuses water in its cooling system.
- reuse materials
- Artists often reuse materials like cardboard and fabric.
- reuse a container
- You can reuse a container many times before recycling it.
- reuse and recycle
- The campaign encourages people to reuse and recycle more.
Synonyms and how they differ
- recycle
- Recycle usually means processing waste into new products, while reuse means using the same item again without major processing.
- repurpose
- Repurpose means finding a new use for something, whereas reuse can be for the same or a new purpose.
Opposites
Word family
- reusable adjective
- able to be used again
- reusability noun
- the quality of being reusable
- reuse noun
- the act of using something again
Commonly confused: reuse or recycle?
reuse vs recycle
Recycle means to treat waste so it can be made into new products; reuse means to use the same item again without changing it much.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
Reuse is a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object (the bottles) and can be followed by 'for + -ing' (for storing). The other options have incorrect prepositions or verb forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reuse”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.