wear away

verb

wore away; worn away; wearing away; wears away

: to gradually disappear or to cause (something) to gradually disappear or become thinner, smaller, etc., because of use

The paint on the sign had worn away.

Even a trickle of water will eventually wear rock away.

—often used as (be) worn away

The table's finish was worn away.

Examples of wear away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When new, concrete possesses a thin, temporarily protective layer that, if not maintained, will wear away, exposing the interior, which gradually crumbles. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Capsules commonly carry ablative shields made from materials designed to char and gradually wear away. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026

When the seal of a flapper, for example, wears away, the seal can’t keep water from seeping out of the tank and into the bowl, which makes your toilet constantly run. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026

Starting Friday, the strong wind shear that’s been swirling in the Atlantic all season and keeping most storms at bay is expected to pick up again, wearing away at Dolly. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for wear away

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway