wear and tear

noun

: the loss, injury, or stress to which something is subjected by or in the course of use

especially : normal depreciation

Synonyms of wear and tear

• wear

Examples of wear and tear in a Sentence

my favorite jeans finally succumbed to wear and tear and had to be replaced

Recent Examples on the Web

Jouffret says the team hopes to showcase the creations through a potential exhibition or runway presentation, although some pieces would need repairs after the wear and tear of filming. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Barbecue rooted in Charlotte history When Council bought the building and surrounding land in January, decades of wear and tear had taken its toll. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026

Local governments face higher costs tied to providing more emergency response services and local roads face more wear and tear because of highway traffic getting diverted. — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026

The result should be less wear and tear on Stafford, who was hit 14 times and sacked four times in Denver and threw a pick six while forcing a hot read into the face of a heavy blitz. — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1666, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wear and tear

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware

Kids Definition

wear and tear

noun

: the loss or damage that occurs to something in the course of normal use