Obsolescence: meaning, example and synonyms
Obsolescencen. The process or state of becoming outdated and no longer used.
Example
Rapid advances in battery chemistry hastened the obsolescence of the older devices, which manufacturers soon stopped repairing altogether.
- Part of speech
- noun
- Synonyms
- outdatedness, disuse, antiquatedness, decline
- Antonyms
- novelty, modernity, currency, relevance
- Memory tip
- Obsolete thing -> obsolescence: the slide into the junk drawer.
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Check yourself: Obsolescence in context
Engineers designed the modular phone to resist ______, allowing owners to replace aging components rather than discard the entire device when newer models appeared.
Answer: obsolescence. Replacing parts instead of discarding an outdated device resists obsolescence. Archetype (an original model), reserve (restraint in showing feelings) and projection (an estimate of a future trend) don't fit.
The rise of digital photography condemned the darkroom to near ______, though a few artists still prize the chemical process for its subtle tonal range.
Answer: obsolescence. A process replaced by new technology and kept only by a few artists has become outdated: obsolescence. Aggregation (a gathering into one whole), beneficiary (one who receives a benefit) and archetype (an original model) don't fit.