wear down

verb

wore down; worn down; wearing down; wears down

transitive verb

: to weary and overcome by persistent resistance or pressure

Examples of wear down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dowdle’s body began to wear down in the second half. Joseph Person, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025 Excess water can wear down the glue that holds the bristles and handle together. Cody Godwin, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025 The two firefighters faced the challenges of both their bodies and skillsets wearing down, which typically comes with aging in that profession. Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025 Recent history in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq suggests that insurgencies can wear down regular armies over time. Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wear down

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wear down was in 1774

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on wear down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!