wearing

1 of 2

adjective (1)

wear·​ing ˈwer-iŋ How to pronounce wearing (audio)
: intended for wear
wearing apparel

wearing

2 of 2

adjective (2)

: subjecting to or inflicting wear
especially : causing fatigue
a wearing journey
wearingly adverb

Examples of wearing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The force of Burton’s manic personality was very wearing. Daneet Steffens, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wearing.' 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

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wearing was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near wearing

Cite this Entry

“Wearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wearing. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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