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

Wool has a protective oil on it called lanolin, which is removed by the laundry stripping process, and would result in the fibers prematurely wearing down. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 July 2026

All of that together wears down the skin and speeds up aging. — Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Get regular brake, tire and filter inspections Brakes, tires and filter frequently wear down and need to be replaced. — Keith Laing, USA Today, 8 July 2026

While the success rate of Skarsgård Green-Card Marriages is currently at zero (noll), we’re encouraged by the odds of one in seventeen to forty-one Skarsgårds eventually being worn down enough to settle for one of our alluring clients. — Sarah Hutto, New Yorker, 7 July 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