wear down

verb

wore down; worn down; wearing down; wears down

transitive verb

: to weary and overcome by persistent resistance or pressure

Examples of wear down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Her hair was worn down to give it a more down-to-earth vibe, and her jewelry was minimal. Aamina Inayat Khan, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2024 Her long, blonde hair was worn down in an effortless style. Catherine Santino, People.com, 30 Sep. 2024 The Broncos churned to 65 yards on nine carries in the fourth quarter overall, following Payton’s seeming view that the best rushing yardage is the kind that comes when you’re fully worn down your opponent. Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2024 President Joe Biden always chose to have his agencies wear down tech companies. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for wear down 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wear down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wear down was in 1774

Dictionary Entries Near wear down

Cite this Entry

“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on wear down

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