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

According to Bell, the track's slick surface forces drivers to constantly adjust their racing lines as their tires wear down, creating opportunities for passing throughout a race. — CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Repetitive lifting and loading can wear down the discs of the spine, for example, and mechanical ventilators can overstretch and injure lungs. — Karin Wuertz-Kozak, The Conversation, 27 Oct. 2026

Being able to bear down and wear down opponents is a sign of a good team. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Restorers address common signs of wear and tear, such as drawer runners worn down by nearly two centimeters and drawer backs reduced to half their original thickness by decades of knives repeatedly striking the wood. — Tara Anne Dalbow, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 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