wear

1 of 2

verb

ˈwer 

wore ˈwȯr  ; worn ˈwȯrn  ; wearing

transitive verb

1

: to bear or have on the person

wore a coat

2

a

: to use habitually for clothing, adornment, or assistance

wears a size 10

wear glasses

b

: to carry on the person

wear a sword

3

a

: to hold the rank or dignity or position signified by (an ornament)

wear the royal crown

b

: exhibit, present

wore a happy smile

commend the book for wearing its research so lightly

—Brad Leithauser

c

: to show or fly (a flag or colors) on a ship

4

a

: to cause to deteriorate by use

b

: to impair or diminish by use or attrition : consume or waste gradually

letters on the stone worn away by weathering

5

: to produce gradually by friction or attrition

wear a hole in the rug

6

: to exhaust or lessen the strength of : weary, fatigue

7

: to cause (a ship) to go about with the stern presented to the wind

8

British : to accept or tolerate without complaint : put up with

—usually used in negative constructions

your mates wouldn't wear it

—Colin MacInnes

9

: take on sense 3a

intransitive verb

1

a

: to endure use : last under use or the passage of time

material that will wear for years

b

: to retain quality or vitality

the classics wear well

2

a

: to diminish or decay through use

the heels of his shoes began to wear

b

: to diminish or fail with the passage of time

the effect of the drug wore off

the day wore on

c

: to grow or become by attrition or use

the blade wore dull

3

of a ship : to change to an opposite tack by turning the stern to the wind compare tack

wearer noun

wear

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act of wearing : the state of being worn : use

clothes for everyday wear

2

a

: clothing or an article of clothing usually of a particular kind

especially : clothing worn for a special occasion or popular during a specific period

b

: fashion, vogue

3

: wearing quality : durability under use

4

: the result of wearing or use : diminution or impairment due to use

wear-resistant surface

Phrases

wear on

: irritate, fray

the constant beeping wore on my nerves

wear the trousers or wear the pants

: to have the controlling authority in a household

wear thin

1

: to become weak or ready to give way

my patience was wearing thin

2

: to become trite, unconvincing, or out-of-date

an argument that quickly wore thin

Synonyms

Verb

• break
• burn out
• bust
• do in
• do up
• drain
• exhaust
• fag
• fatigue
• frazzle
• harass
• kill
• knock out
• outwear
• tire
• tucker (out)
• wash out
• wear out
• weary

Noun

• wear and tear

Examples of wear in a Sentence

Verb

He was wearing blue jeans.

She wore a red blouse to work.

White coats are often worn by doctors.

He doesn't wear a watch.

a badge worn by police officers

Were you wearing a seat belt?

She wears her hair in a ponytail.

I used to wear my hair long.

The teacher was wearing a frown.

He wore a hole in his pants.

Noun

shoes that are perfect for everyday wear

The deck is built to withstand years of wear.

I got a lot of wear out of these boots.

a new line of evening wear

The carpet is showing signs of wear.

You should inspect the tires for wear.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Gerber wore her Astro Grabbers with an all-black outfit. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024

In the first shot in her pregnancy reveal post, Michele wore a long, white cardigan that fell open to reveal her bare bump and matching white underwear. —Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

To qualify for the device, called a hypoglossal nerve stimulator, a person over 18 diagnosed with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea must be unable to adapt or refuse to wear a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine, the gold standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024

Somewhere, Mama Clark has videos of this basketball phenom wearing a kid-size Chiefs helmet knocking heads with her brothers in the front yard. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024

The former San Diego State forward, wearing a red No. 16 Arizona uniform, drew the unenviable spot of going first, when the judges typically are more conservative with scores not knowing what’s coming later. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024

But Laube, a Redondo Beach resident, still wore his hair close-cropped, and his boyish face showed no signs of worry. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024

People often also wear sunglasses to protect against harmful UV rays. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024

Only dads wore street clothes and had no official role—a reflection of a traditional society in which mothers are expected to be married to fathers and tend to be the primary caregivers. —Clarissa Wei, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2024

Noun

And despite its age, this comic was still in very good condition, with rich colors and a little wear at the top. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024

Everyone talked animatedly and nobody felt worse for wear. —Bob Guccione Jr., SPIN, 5 Apr. 2024

The classic utility design stands out from other resort wear, while the woven organic cotton and linen blend fabric is so luxurious. —Megan Schaltegger, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2024

It's recommended to check faucet washers and gaskets for wear and to then replace them if necessary. —Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2024

They're both designed to highlight your best features while ensuring a comfortable fit for all-day wear. —Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024

But Take Note The socks may leave fuzz behind during the first few wears, so consider washing them a few times before wearing them. —Maya Polton, Parents, 28 Mar. 2024

With just a few swaps, our performance wear transformed into fresh, bold après-ski outfits. —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024

Top it off with a look using the Eyeko Limitless Eyeshadow Palette, a six-shade palette filled with warm browns for day-to-night wear. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English weren, from Old English werian; akin to Old Norse verja to clothe, invest, spend, Latin vestis clothing, garment, Greek hennynai to clothe

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wear

• if the shoe fits, wear it
• ready-to-wear
• wash-and-wear
• wear and tear
• wear many hats
• wear away
• wear a silly grin/smile on one's face
• wear down
• none the worse for wear
• (the) worse for wear
• wear out
• wear one's heart on one's sleeve
• wear out one's welcome
• wear on
• wear off
• wear through
• wear well
• anti-wear
• don/wear sackcloth and ashes
• wear the pants
• if the cap fits, wear it
• wear the trousers
• wear thin

Kids Definition

wear

1 of 2 verb

ˈwa(ə)r 

ˈwe(ə)r

wore ˈwō(ə)r 

ˈwȯ(ə)r

; worn ˈwō(ə)rn 

ˈwȯ(ə)rn

; wearing

1

a

: to use as an article of clothing, adornment, or assistance

wears blue jeans all the time

wears glasses

b

: to carry on the person

wear a watch

2

: to have or show an appearance of

wore a happy smile

3

a

: to damage, destroy, or make less by use or by scraping or rubbing

wore the shoes to pieces

b

: to produce gradually by wearing

wear a hole in the rug

c

: to tire or weaken : fatigue

soldiers worn by the strain of war

4

: to stand up under use

a silk that wears well

5

a

: to lessen or end with the passage of time

the effect of the medicine wore off

the day wore on

b

: to reach a certain condition gradually

the blade wore dull

wearer noun

wear

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the act of wearing : use

b

: the state of being worn

2

: clothing or an article of clothing usually of a particular kind or for a special occasion or use

children's wear

3

: wearing quality : durability under use

4

: the result of wearing or use

a carpet showing signs of wear

Geographical Definition

Wear

geographical name

ˈwir 

river 67 miles (108 kilometers) long in northern England flowing into the North Sea at Sunderland