1. ordinary manufactured objects selected and presented as works of art without alteration
Usage: art term; plural form
2. mass-produced items that are ready for immediate use without further preparation
Usage: commercial context

Examples

• Marcel Duchamp’s readymades challenged traditional notions of what constitutes art.
• The famous bicycle wheel and urinal are among the most controversial readymades in art history.
• The museum’s contemporary wing features several readymades from the 1960s.
• The store specializes in readymades rather than custom furniture.
• Many artists have created readymades by simply signing everyday objects.
• The concept of readymades revolutionized 20th-century art.
• Critics debated whether these readymades deserved space in prestigious galleries.