mothballed
Stored away indefinitely
Mothballed describes something put into long-term storage or suspension, preserved but inactive.
The term comes from mothballs—chemical pellets used to protect stored clothing from moths.
A mothballed factory sits idle but maintained.
A mothballed project has been shelved indefinitely: The renovation plans were mothballed when funding fell through.
Military ships are mothballed when decommissioned but kept in reserve.
Left behind completely
- neglectedNot given proper attention
- unusedNever put to purpose
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- forgottenNo longer recalled
inactive · unoccupied · deserted · discarded · derelict · vacant · empty · forsaken
Kept in reserve
- protectedKept from harm
- wrappedCovered in material
- sealedClosed to prevent entry
- coveredHaving protection atop
bagged · packed · conserved · maintained · kept · safeguarded · cocooned · shrouded
Deferred or stored away
- suspendedHalted or hanging temporarily
- sidelinedRemoved from participation
- tabledDeferred for later
- shutteredClosed down permanently
parked · benched · postponed · deferred · discontinued · halted · grounded · retired
Vehicles under unified command
- shipsSeagoing vessels
- vesselsCarriers or containers
- aircraftAirborne transportation vehicle
- planesAircraft or flat surfaces
tanks · naval · decommissioned · reserve · arsenal · depot · yard · base
No longer in use
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- outmodedNo longer in fashion
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
superseded · deprecated · bygone · anachronistic · passe · unfashionable · retro · defunct
abandoned
Left behind completely
forgotten · inactive · unoccupied · deserted · discarded · derelict · vacant · empty · forsaken · redundant
stored
Kept in reserve
covered · bagged · packed · conserved · maintained · kept · safeguarded · cocooned · shrouded · enclosed
shelved
Deferred or stored away
shuttered · parked · benched · postponed · deferred · discontinued · halted · grounded · retired · idled
fleet
Vehicles under unified command
planes · tanks · naval · decommissioned · reserve · arsenal · depot · yard · base · dock
outdated
No longer in use
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- outmodedNo longer in fashion
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
old-fashioned · superseded · deprecated · bygone · anachronistic · passe · unfashionable · retro · defunct · archaic
- outdatedobsolete, outdated, out of date, dated, outmoded
- sidelinedbenched, shelved, sidetracked, put on hold, on hold
- discontinueddiscontinued, terminated, cancelled, ended, stopped
- unusedunused, idle, untouched, vacant, empty
- delaysdelays, delay, delayed, postponement, postpone
- financial ruinbankrupt, bankruptcy, bust, busted, broke
mothballedactive
In operation now
operational · in service · running · functioning · busy
mothballedscrapped
Discarded as useless
demolished · decommissioned · destroyed · dismantled · junked