wear out

verb

wore out; worn out; wearing out; wears out
Synonyms of wear outnext

transitive verb

1
2
: to make useless especially by long or hard usage
3
4
: to endure through : outlast
wear out a storm
5
: to consume (time) tediously
wear out idle days

intransitive verb

: to become useless from long or excessive wear or use

Examples of wear out in a Sentence

keeping up with twin toddlers wears me out
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
John Tortorella was hired as head coach in June 2022, helped establish a culture, had the young Flyers overachieving and then wore out his welcome — such is life as an NHL head coach and especially one named John Tortorella. Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026 As soft as pajamas yet lovely enough to wear out on the town (or around the ship), the micro modal fabric of these Saint Haven pants drapes elegantly, resists wrinkles, and has a relaxed fit that works equally well at a harbor-side bar or a breezy dinner ashore. Amanda Eyre Ward, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2026 Its burgundy spine wore out many years ago, so layer on layer of tape tries desperately to cradle over 60 pages of newspaper cuttings documenting every word ever published about her son, Jamie Mitchell. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 In contrast, the Fraternal Order of Eagles advocated for pensions for industrial wage laborers—for people who had worked in jobs that wore out their bodies and left them physically unable to work. Trevor Jackson, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wear out

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wear out was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Wear out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20out. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

wear out

verb
1
: to tire gradually
worn out from exercising
2
: to make or become useless by wear

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