wear

1 of 2

verb

wore ˈwȯr How to pronounce wear (audio) ; worn ˈwȯrn How to pronounce wear (audio) ; 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 lightlyBrad 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 itColin MacInnes
9

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: to become trite, unconvincing, or out-of-date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

Example Sentences

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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Summery smell but anytime wear. Nerisha Penrose, elle.com, 28 Apr. 2023 For skiing, ask yourself ‘What would Angelo wear?’ …. Kimi Robinson, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2023 With bits inherited from the McLaren Senna, the kit includes 15.4-inch carbon-ceramic rotors with monobloc (a.k.a. one-piece) front calipers intended to significantly resist fade and wear. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 26 Apr. 2023 One picture—a mirror selfie—shows Jenner wearing a black knit minidress that featured open slits, loose strands, large cutouts, and flower-like embellishments. Harper's BAZAAR, 13 Apr. 2023 The video circulating online appears to show a man in green fatigues wearing a yellow armband, typically donned by Ukrainian fighters. Samya Kullab And Hanna Arhiriova, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Apr. 2023 The show went on, with the performers wearing modern clothing. Kturnqui, oregonlive, 12 Apr. 2023 Taiwanese are rushing to buy patches being worn by their air force pilots that depict a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh — representing Chinese President Xi Jinping — as a defiant symbol of the island’s resistance to Chinese war games. Reuters, NBC News, 12 Apr. 2023 The kicks in question were worn by Jordan during his momentous final season with the Chicago Bulls (a.k.a. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2023
Noun
At the end of the day, the one thing that held us back from giving this bra top marks was the band, which seems to run small (and dug into our backs after a few hours of wear). Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 16 May 2023 Seymour tested both types of discs and found each to be super comfortable for all-day wear, though did notice that the reusable disc became stained after a few uses. goodhousekeeping.com, 16 May 2023 The sunglasses do an excellent job of reducing glare from water and snow, and the lightweight acetate frames are comfortable for all-day wear without compromising comfort or style. Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2023 Rao said her mom and her upbringing inspired her to make products like a blue silk sari cocktail dress and a lime green silk tracksuit, colors inspired by women’s Indian formal wear. Brahmjot Kaur, NBC News, 8 May 2023 Their men’s wear label, SMR Days, launched with shirting, shorts and trousers in beach-ready cotton and linen. Kyle Beechey Becky Malinsky Ella Riley-adams Jameson Montgomery Jameson Montgomery Caitie Kelly, New York Times, 4 May 2023 On Saturday, Old Dominion, who had to cancel three shows last month after singer Matthew Ramsey was injured in an ATV accident, returned to the stage seemingly no worse for wear — even if the frontman did have a pair of crutches beside him. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2023 Fleece Hiking Jacket Now 15% Off $169 at Lululemon Credit: Lululemon In terms of available workout wear in the section, there's a plethora to choose from. Ellen Mcalpine, Men's Health, 25 Apr. 2023 The fresh material was first made into suits by New Orleans designer Joseph Haspel in 1909, and since, the seersucker suit has taken over the world of warm weather formal wear by storm. Maverick Li, menshealth.com, 21 Apr. 2023 See More

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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of wear was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wear

Cite this Entry

“Wear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

wear

1 of 2 verb
ˈwa(ə)r How to pronounce wear (audio)
ˈwe(ə)r
wore ˈwō(ə)r How to pronounce wear (audio)
ˈwȯ(ə)r
; worn ˈwō(ə)rn How to pronounce wear (audio)
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

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

More from Merriam-Webster on wear

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