wear down
verb
wore down; worn down; wearing down; wears down
: to weary and overcome by persistent resistance or pressure
Examples of wear down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Music continued to dominate as the evening wore down, especially in the tribute to Fleming.
—
Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
My trigger been pulled so much, the striker got wore down.
—Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023
They were pressured on five other occasions while Alabama had just 110 rushing yards through three quarters before finally wearing down a spunky USF defense in the fourth.
—Michael Casagrande | McAsagrande@al.com, al, 16 Sep. 2023
In anticipation of the July 29 ceremony, fans and media outlets alike were wild with curiosity about what Diana would wear down the aisle.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2023
Above all, though, his Hoosiers were known for their relentless man-to-man defense, which frustrated opponents, forced them into mistakes and inevitably wore down their will.
—Matt Schudel, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023
The rubber outsole has circular designs for traction and durability that doesn’t wear down easily.
—Lauren Fischer, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2023
If your windows and doors are older, this is the best insulation kit for replacing the seals that can wear down over time.
—Belle Duchene, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2023
Charlo doesn’t throw or move enough to tire out or wear down Álvarez.
—Manouk Akopyan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2023
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Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
My trigger been pulled so much, the striker got wore down.
—Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023
They were pressured on five other occasions while Alabama had just 110 rushing yards through three quarters before finally wearing down a spunky USF defense in the fourth.
—Michael Casagrande | McAsagrande@al.com, al, 16 Sep. 2023
In anticipation of the July 29 ceremony, fans and media outlets alike were wild with curiosity about what Diana would wear down the aisle.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2023
Above all, though, his Hoosiers were known for their relentless man-to-man defense, which frustrated opponents, forced them into mistakes and inevitably wore down their will.
—Matt Schudel, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023
The rubber outsole has circular designs for traction and durability that doesn’t wear down easily.
—Lauren Fischer, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2023
If your windows and doors are older, this is the best insulation kit for replacing the seals that can wear down over time.
—Belle Duchene, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2023
Charlo doesn’t throw or move enough to tire out or wear down Álvarez.
—Manouk Akopyan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wear down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1774, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near wear down
Cite this Entry
“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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