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.
Sweeney’s blond hair was styled by Glen Oropez with a middle part and worn down with large, soft barrel curls at the ends. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025 Most of them only went four to five yards per touch, but Barnes was able to wear down the Baylor defense. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2025 On the way to TisaKorean’s crib, in southwest Houston, there’s nothing but fields of weeds, worn down churches, liquor stores, and gas stations next to gas stations next to more gas stations. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 17 Oct. 2025 Toronto can continue to wear down pitchers with relentless contact and create scoring opportunities with singles, but big swings matter. Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 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 22 Oct. 2025.

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