wear and tear
noun
: the loss, injury, or stress to which something is subjected by or in the course of use
especially
: normal depreciation
Examples of wear and tear in a Sentence
my favorite jeans finally succumbed to wear and tear and had to be replaced
Recent Examples on the Web
Washing them together can cause excessive wear and tear to towels, thanks to zippers and metal rivets on jeans.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2025
Inside, nine utility pockets keep devices, gloves, and essentials within easy reach, while rugged YKK zippers handle winter wear and tear.
—New Atlas, 21 Nov. 2025
Contamination, in this case, means that small grains of sand are still present in the engine, which can damage parts of the engine over time and lead to excess wear and tear.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The study’s target was skeletal muscle progenitor cells, which descend from stem cells and eventually develop into specialized muscle cells that can repair tissue from damage or normal wear and tear.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wear and tear
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Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2025
Inside, nine utility pockets keep devices, gloves, and essentials within easy reach, while rugged YKK zippers handle winter wear and tear.
—New Atlas, 21 Nov. 2025
Contamination, in this case, means that small grains of sand are still present in the engine, which can damage parts of the engine over time and lead to excess wear and tear.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The study’s target was skeletal muscle progenitor cells, which descend from stem cells and eventually develop into specialized muscle cells that can repair tissue from damage or normal wear and tear.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wear and tear
Cite this Entry
“Wear and tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20and%20tear. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
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