wear down
verb
wore down; worn down; wearing down; wears down
: to weary and overcome by persistent resistance or pressure
Examples of wear down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As more people describe feeling worn down by the endless small obligations of daily life, the idea of clearing them out together, in one room, with a glass of wine, is catching on fast.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
Eddie Marsan also delivers a sympathetic turn as the sad sack dad worn down by the effects of capitalism and sometimes crippling OCD.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Needless to say there was no second date, and, eventually though painfully, my own arrogance had some of its rough edges worn down.
—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
26 June 2026
Those 23 teeth came from at least 20 different individuals, ranging from babies with their first tiny teeth to older adults with teeth worn down from decades of chewing.
—
ArsTechnica,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear down
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
Eddie Marsan also delivers a sympathetic turn as the sad sack dad worn down by the effects of capitalism and sometimes crippling OCD.
—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Needless to say there was no second date, and, eventually though painfully, my own arrogance had some of its rough edges worn down.
—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
26 June 2026
Those 23 teeth came from at least 20 different individuals, ranging from babies with their first tiny teeth to older adults with teeth worn down from decades of chewing.
—
ArsTechnica,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear down
Cite this Entry
“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
