# used to

grammar point

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/used-to
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Two everyday senses. As a past marker (used to + verb): something that happened regularly, or was true, in the past but isn't now — "We used to live by the sea." After be or get (be/get used to + noun or -ing): accustomed to, or comfortable with, something — "I'm used to the noise now."

## Examples

- I am used to the noise in this city.
- I used to play the guitar every day when I was a student.
- She moved to a cold country, but she is finally used to the freezing winter weather.
- My grandfather used to work as a baker, so he still wakes up before the sun rises every single morning.
- After living in the desert for five years, he is finally getting used to the extreme heat during the summer months.
- Although the transition to a remote working environment was initially jarring, the staff eventually became used to the lack of daily face-to-face interaction.

## Origin

From *used*, the past tense of the verb *use*, which held the archaic sense of being in the habit of performing an action, combined with the infinitive marker *to*.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.