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 away

The table's finish was worn away.

Examples of wear away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those sculptures were painted in bright colors that have since worn away. —Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 3 Aug. 2025

If they are made of iron or steel, the fixtures begin to rust as soon as the plating is chipped, scratched, or worn away. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 July 2025

The gilded latticework trimming the balconies around the entrance appeared to be crumbling off, and large stretches of colorful plasterwork have worn away to reveal the chalky gray of lath and structural wood. —Carl David Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025

Rubbing this into your teeth regularly can wear away at your enamel, the protective coating on your teeth. —Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 23 July 2025

Rhymes for wear away

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway