To reuse means to use something again instead of throwing it away after one use. When you reuse a water bottle by refilling it, you're getting more value from something you already have. When your family reuses jars to store leftovers or craft supplies, those containers serve a new purpose instead of ending up in the trash.

Reusing is different from recycling, though people sometimes confuse them. Recycling breaks materials down to make new products, like melting plastic bottles to create park benches. Reusing keeps things in their current form: that plastic bottle stays a bottle, the jar stays a jar, just doing their jobs again and again.

The practice saves money and resources. Schools reuse textbooks year after year so each new group of students can learn from them. Libraries reuse books thousands of times. Artists reuse cardboard boxes and fabric scraps to create sculptures. Some families reuse grocery bags, while others reuse clothing by passing it down to younger siblings or donating it.

The word can also describe using an idea or method again. A teacher might reuse a successful lesson plan with a new class, or a writer might reuse a clever plot device in a different story. In this sense, reusing means recognizing what works well and applying it to a new situation.