(the) worse for wear
idiom
: in worse condition after doing or experiencing something
He came out of basic training only slightly the worse for wear.
The kids emerged from the woods looking none the worse for wear.
Examples of (the) worse for wear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Everyone talked animatedly and nobody felt worse for wear.
—
Bob Guccione Jr., SPIN, 5 Apr. 2024
Consult the economics textbooks, and the combined force of the worst inflationary wave since the 1980s and rapidly rising interest rates should have left the American economy looking worse for wear.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2024
While Alaska and United will regain some capacity in the weeks ahead, their bottom line may still be a bit worse for wear.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Jan. 2024
Despite a handful of collisions in the box leaving Bixby worse for wear, the Thorns locked down for the remainder of the match and held on to a 2-0 advantage.
—oregonlive, 17 Sep. 2023
Those intended for outdoor use are more heavy-duty and can stay outside day and night and be none the worse for wear.
—Sarah Wolf Halverson, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023
If your oven mitts look worse for wear, replace them with one of our favorites.
—Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2024
Top 10: Who had the largest increase, and who is paying the most?
Gas markets around the U.S. are looking a little worse for wear at the moment.
—The Arizona Republic, 5 Aug. 2023
The Vatican, meanwhile, emerges worse for wear, with new questions raised about the effectiveness and fairness of its legal system.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2023
Bob Guccione Jr., SPIN, 5 Apr. 2024
Consult the economics textbooks, and the combined force of the worst inflationary wave since the 1980s and rapidly rising interest rates should have left the American economy looking worse for wear.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2024
While Alaska and United will regain some capacity in the weeks ahead, their bottom line may still be a bit worse for wear.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Jan. 2024
Despite a handful of collisions in the box leaving Bixby worse for wear, the Thorns locked down for the remainder of the match and held on to a 2-0 advantage.
—oregonlive, 17 Sep. 2023
Those intended for outdoor use are more heavy-duty and can stay outside day and night and be none the worse for wear.
—Sarah Wolf Halverson, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023
If your oven mitts look worse for wear, replace them with one of our favorites.
—Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2024
Top 10: Who had the largest increase, and who is paying the most?
Gas markets around the U.S. are looking a little worse for wear at the moment.
—The Arizona Republic, 5 Aug. 2023
The Vatican, meanwhile, emerges worse for wear, with new questions raised about the effectiveness and fairness of its legal system.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word '(the) worse for wear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near (the) worse for wear
Cite this Entry
“(the) worse for wear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%28the%29%20worse%20for%20wear. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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