disposable
/dɪˈspəʊzəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈspəʊzəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈspō-zə-bəl/ (ame, mw) · /dɪˈspəʊ.zə.bəl/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈspoʊ.zə.bəl/ (ame, ipa)
disposable — adjective
- disposablepositive
- more disposablecomparative
- most disposablesuperlative
1. designed for short-term use and then discarded, rather than being washed or kept
designed for short-term use and then discarded, rather than being washed or kept for later
Roya bought disposable cups for the picnic so no one had to wash dishes afterward.
attributive use: disposable cups / disposable gloves
The hospital switched to disposable gloves to reduce the risk of infection between patients.
For the beach party, Constanza brought disposable plates and plastic cutlery to make cleanup quick.
Disposable diapers create mountains of waste that take centuries to break down in landfills.
- throwaway
more informal, often with a dismissive tone (throwaway culture)
- single-use
emphasises the one-time nature; common in environmental discussions
- non-reusable
more technical; describes items that cannot be used again
文法句型
disposable + noun
be + disposable
用法筆記
Frequently used attributively before the noun it describes (disposable cup, disposable razor). Can also appear predicatively: These gloves are disposable.
常見錯誤
2. treated as if not important enough to keep, protect, or think about for very lon
treated as if not important enough to keep, protect, or think about for very long
In that company, workers were treated as disposable and laid off without warning.
pattern: treat [someone/something] as disposable
Soraya felt her team treated her ideas as disposable, ignoring every suggestion she made.
The fashion industry treats last season's designs as disposable, quickly moving on to new trends.
Selim viewed no friendship as disposable, even when old friends drifted apart over time.
- expendable
more formal; suggests something is worth sacrificing for a greater goal
- replaceable
focuses on being easy to substitute rather than on being undervalued
- dispensable
suggests something is not necessary and can be left out
- indispensable
too important to do without
- valued
considered important and worth keeping
文法句型
treat + as + disposable
consider + noun + disposable
用法筆記
Often used in the construction treat/view/see [someone or something] as disposable. The subject is typically a person, group, or industry; the object is a person, idea, or role that is undervalued.
常見錯誤
3. available to be spent or saved after essential costs such as rent and food have
available to be spent or saved after essential costs such as rent and food have been paid
After paying rent and bills, Roya had very little disposable income left each month.
collocation: disposable income
The government raised taxes on luxury goods to target people with high disposable earnings.
Pim used his disposable savings to book a flight home for the holiday.
Rising housing costs have reduced the disposable cash young families have for leisure.
文法句型
disposable + financial noun
用法筆記
Used only before financial nouns such as income, earnings, cash, savings, and assets. Does not describe physical objects — a disposable razor is not 'spendable income.' Distinguish from sense 1 by the noun that follows.
常見錯誤
disposable — noun
- disposablesingular
- disposablesplural
1. an item designed to be used once and then thrown away, typically made of cheap m
an item designed to be used once and then thrown away, typically made of cheap materials like paper or plastic
The store sells disposables like paper plates, plastic forks, and napkins in bulk.
plural form: disposables (as a category)
Eliska packed disposables for the picnic so she would not have to bring anything home.
Some hotels provide free disposables such as razors, combs, and shower caps.
Environmental groups are urging people to cut down on disposables and switch to reusable items.
- single-use product
more formal and descriptive; preferred in environmental writing
- throwaway item
more informal; less technical
- reusable
an item designed to be used many times
文法句型
the + disposables
a disposable
disposables
用法筆記
Typically used in the plural (disposables) when referring to the general category of single-use products. The singular (a disposable) is less common but acceptable when naming one specific item.