wear 1 of 2

verb

ˈwer How to pronounce wear (audio)
Definition of wearnext
1
as in to erode
to damage or diminish by continued friction all that walking every day wore the soles of my shoes very quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to kill
to use up all the physical energy of the job of running their own business wears them sometimes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to tolerate
British to put up with (something painful or difficult) her marriage is so bad—I don't know how she wears it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wear

2 of 2

noun

1
as in corrosion
the result of long and hard use after several years, the carpet was finally showing wear

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clothes
covering for the human body the latest in fashionable wear

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of wear
Verb
Pitbull just broke the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps with 22,141 baldies — this is what Pitbull calls his fans who wear bald caps. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 11 July 2026 Coming in six bright colors to channel the vibrant energy of summer, this fresh button-down deserves a place in your suitcase for upcoming getaways and everyday wear alike. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026
Noun
Eliminating these high-wear moving parts reduces long-term operating costs. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026 In doing so, the clips render traditional bras extraordinarily versatile and allow for seamless wear beneath racerback tops, cap sleeves, and more styles. — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for wear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wear
  1. erode
  2. kill
  3. tolerate
  4. corrosion
  5. clothing
  6. fray
  7. tire
  8. endure
Verb
  • But this harmony is eroding as Svalbard’s unique set-up collides with increasingly fractured international relations and countries’ quest for influence in the fast-warming Arctic.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
  • In aviation, profit per passenger is often measured in single-digit dollars, which means even a minor disruption can erode the profitability of a flight.
    — Christiaan Hen, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of erode
Verb
  • Massive explosions lit up the night sky as ballistic missiles and drones hammered parts of the city, killing at least 14 people in the city and three others in the surrounding region, with dozens more wounded, city officials said.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Alicent and Helaena will be held prisoner until Aemond is found and killed.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of kill
Verb
  • The prevailing stereotype is that people of color can tolerate spicy food better than white people, and data show the majority of Reddit users are white.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026
  • Studies have shown that overfertilizing can weaken the underground partnerships between plants and microbes that are fundamental to helping plants access nutrients and tolerate stress.
    — Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Definition of tolerate
Noun
  • Marine engines operate under sustained high RPM and are exposed to moisture, which requires additional protection against wear and corrosion.
    — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
  • First, look for locks that are tamper-proof with cut-resistant cables and construction built to withstand harsh elements such as water, rust, or corrosion.
    — Emily Hochberg, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Definition of corrosion
Noun
  • Surveillance cameras captured a person dressed in dark clothing on a nearby roof overlooking the courtyard less than ten minutes before the killing, prosecutors said in charging documents.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • The same goes for discovering petite-friendly clothing brands with styles that not only fit, but also flatter shorter frames.
    — Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026
Definition of clothing
Verb
  • The band itself was fraying, with Stone recording much of the murky, druggy album in the attic of his Bel Air mansion.
    — Al Shipley, SPIN, 7 July 2026
  • And considering how signing offer sheets can fray relations, there’s no guarantee Hayton would extend in Utah after all of this.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of fray
Verb
  • More than 90% agreed or strongly agreed that scent work is enjoyable for dogs, tires them out and builds confidence in shy dogs.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
  • In the race itself, Evenepoel and fellow escapee Mathieu van der Poel were criticised for working alongside eventual winner Pogačar, rather than attempting to force the Slovenian to do all the work and tire himself out.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of tire
Verb
  • Not bad considering his fight to find feel after missing most of last year with injuries and enduring a five-start slump from the end of May through the middle of June.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • Hughes employs this as another piece of his development philosophy — similar to the battle days Kennedy endured in high school.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Definition of endure

Phrases Containing wear

Browse Nearby Words

weapons
wear
wearables
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wear. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wear

Nglish: Translation of wear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wear

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fulcrum

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All