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
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.
But eventually, breaking all those ankles wore down his own. Jared Weiss, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025 The constant friction of material rubbing on material wears the clothing out faster, so when there is more time, as in a regular or deep clean cycle, the garment fibers can wear down faster. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025 Her blond hair was styled straight, worn down and featured a middle part. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025 By mid-afternoon Saturday, though, any angst among the beleaguered had worn down. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wear down

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wear down was in 1774

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on wear down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!