wear down
verb
wore down; worn down; wearing down; wears down
: to weary and overcome by persistent resistance or pressure
Examples of wear down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The RedHawks seemed to wear down under the defensive pressure.
—
ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
First off, just like skateboard wheels, fingerboard wheels can wear down with long-term use.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
People and pets rub against the surface, leaving dirty handprints, scuff marks, and oils behind, and friction from frequent use can wear down the wood.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
The Trailblazers were grinding the whole second half, wearing down Harvard-Westlake players as the loud home fans cheered them on.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear down
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.
ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
First off, just like skateboard wheels, fingerboard wheels can wear down with long-term use.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
People and pets rub against the surface, leaving dirty handprints, scuff marks, and oils behind, and friction from frequent use can wear down the wood.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
The Trailblazers were grinding the whole second half, wearing down Harvard-Westlake players as the loud home fans cheered them on.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear down
Cite this Entry
“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
