obsolescence
noun
ob·so·les·cence
ˌäb-sə-ˈle-sᵊn(t)s 
: the process of becoming obsolete or the condition of being nearly obsolete
the gradual obsolescence of machinery
reduced to obsolescence
the planned obsolescence of automobiles
Examples of obsolescence in a Sentence
the obsolescence of the old technology
Once a useful tool, slide rules have fallen into obsolescence.
Recent Examples on the Web
No one is better built than Leavy, a crafty veteran sportswriter, for between-innings repartee, wry asides, and tossed-off ideas for improving her beloved sport—and maybe even keeping its ever-looming obsolescence at bay for another decade or three.
—
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
In that case, universities are fine-tuning their students for obsolescence, and the latter are paying handsomely for this privilege.
—Toby Stuart, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
But for dedicated collectors, such technological obsolescence isn’t a concern.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2025
The genre’s relevance has increasingly been questioned, but the absence of these figures may only hasten their employers’ obsolescence.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsolescence
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Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
In that case, universities are fine-tuning their students for obsolescence, and the latter are paying handsomely for this privilege.
—Toby Stuart, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
But for dedicated collectors, such technological obsolescence isn’t a concern.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2025
The genre’s relevance has increasingly been questioned, but the absence of these figures may only hasten their employers’ obsolescence.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsolescence
Cite this Entry
“Obsolescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obsolescence. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obsolescence
noun
ob·so·les·cence
ˌäb-sə-ˈles-ᵊn(t)s
: the process of becoming obsolete or the state of being nearly obsolete
Legal Definition
obsolescence
noun
ob·so·les·cence
ˌäb-sə-ˈles-ᵊns
: a loss in the utility or value of property that results over time from intrinsic limitations (as outmoded facilities) or external circumstances
Note: Obsolescence is usually distinguished from depreciation and physical deterioration.
—
economic obsolescence
: obsolescence that results from external factors (as location) that render a property obsolete, no longer competitive, unattractive to purchasers or investors, or of decreasing usefulness
claimed that the appraisal failed to account for economic obsolescence resulting from an adjacent waste facility
—
functional obsolescence
\
ˈfəŋk-shə-nəl-
\
: obsolescence deriving from a lack of adequate or appropriate equipment, space, or design
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