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

That standard reaction produces high-energy neutrons, which wear down reactor walls over time. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

The ceaseless Russian drone attacks on cities and towns aim to wear down Ukraine’s resistance and cripple the Ukrainian economy. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

She was worn down by Hollywood’s faux interest in her talent and the fickle nature with which casting directors operated. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Sep. 2026

No need to wear down the tire treads, especially with Johnson in reserve. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wear down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown