wear away
phrasal 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 awayThe table's finish was worn away.
Examples of wear away in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Damaging Tooth Enamel Acidic drinks can slowly wear away your tooth enamel (the outer layer that protects your teeth).
—
Merve Ceylan, Health, 22 Nov. 2025
Only polish as needed since the plating can start to wear away with frequent polishing.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Nov. 2025
If the stripping is old and worn away, feel free to replace it with your preferred material.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
Head coach Mike McDaniel’s tenure in Miami is starting to wear away, and there’s been a lot of speculation that players haven’t been respecting him.
—Greg Liodice, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wear away
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Merve Ceylan, Health, 22 Nov. 2025
Only polish as needed since the plating can start to wear away with frequent polishing.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Nov. 2025
If the stripping is old and worn away, feel free to replace it with your preferred material.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
Head coach Mike McDaniel’s tenure in Miami is starting to wear away, and there’s been a lot of speculation that players haven’t been respecting him.
—Greg Liodice, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wear away
Cite this Entry
“Wear away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20away. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.
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