as in to dismantle
to stop using (something) while keeping it to be possibly used in the future
Many navy ships were mothballed after the war.
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Recent Examples of mothball
When Kar Kraft’s work on the vehicle was completed, it was shipped to Shelby American in Los Angeles for a full rebuild, then trucked back across country to Ford’s headquarters in Detroit, where it was mothballed in storage.
—
Howard Walker, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2025
In a case of unilateral disarmament in the propaganda war, the Trump administration functionally mothballed the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 17 Mar. 2025
Having spent its life mothballed in storage, the car shows only 75 kilometers (just less than 47 miles) on its digital odometer.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2025
In recent months, Microsoft contracted with Constellation Energy to restart Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania, which was mothballed 5 years ago.
—David Blackmon, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mothball
Howard Walker, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2025
In a case of unilateral disarmament in the propaganda war, the Trump administration functionally mothballed the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 17 Mar. 2025
Having spent its life mothballed in storage, the car shows only 75 kilometers (just less than 47 miles) on its digital odometer.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2025
In recent months, Microsoft contracted with Constellation Energy to restart Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania, which was mothballed 5 years ago.
—David Blackmon, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mothball
Cite this Entry
“Mothball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mothball. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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