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 awayThe table's finish was worn away.
Examples of wear away in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These minor glitches may have worn away our capacity to focus.
—
Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024
Jamieson tells us that the print on a doormat usually fades, or wears away, first.
—Lee Alisha Williams, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2024
As cartilage, the connective tissue that acts as a cushion between joints, wears away, achiness and discomfort ensue.14
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.15 A healthy, balanced diet and weight-bearing exercise can help prevent it.14
7.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 28 Feb. 2024
Earthquakes, erosion and vandalism wore away at them over the centuries.
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2024
Mechanical keyboards from newcomers or with cheaper prices often settle for ABS plastic with legends that could eventually wear away.
—Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 31 July 2023
The new paint probably didn’t stick well to those areas because older paint there was already peeling, or paint there had worn away and left weathered wood as the base for new paint.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
The top of a three-light-year tall pillar of cool hydrogen is being worn away by the radiation of nearby stars, while stars within the pillar unleash jets of gas that stream from the peaks.
—Sheril Kirshenbaum, Discover Magazine, 25 Aug. 2010
That continued wearing away of voter trust in democracy can lead to violence, said Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Alliance for Securing Democracy, which tracks misinformation.
—Ali Swenson, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2023
Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024
Jamieson tells us that the print on a doormat usually fades, or wears away, first.
—Lee Alisha Williams, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2024
As cartilage, the connective tissue that acts as a cushion between joints, wears away, achiness and discomfort ensue.14
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.15 A healthy, balanced diet and weight-bearing exercise can help prevent it.14
7.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 28 Feb. 2024
Earthquakes, erosion and vandalism wore away at them over the centuries.
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2024
Mechanical keyboards from newcomers or with cheaper prices often settle for ABS plastic with legends that could eventually wear away.
—Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 31 July 2023
The new paint probably didn’t stick well to those areas because older paint there was already peeling, or paint there had worn away and left weathered wood as the base for new paint.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
The top of a three-light-year tall pillar of cool hydrogen is being worn away by the radiation of nearby stars, while stars within the pillar unleash jets of gas that stream from the peaks.
—Sheril Kirshenbaum, Discover Magazine, 25 Aug. 2010
That continued wearing away of voter trust in democracy can lead to violence, said Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Alliance for Securing Democracy, which tracks misinformation.
—Ali Swenson, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wear away.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wear away
Cite this Entry
“Wear away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20away. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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