as in wear
the result of long and hard use
my favorite jeans finally succumbed to wear and tear and had to be replaced
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Recent Examples of wear and tear
The threat of Sacramento heat also played a major role in the A’s ditching early plans to install artificial turf, which would have created a hotter playing field but had been intended to better withstand the wear and tear from hosting both Athletics and River Cats game.
—
Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The wear and tear of an intense trip in which the first five games all came down to the final minutes didn’t faze Doncic.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Unlike homeowners insurance, which protects against unexpected events like fire, theft, or storms, a home warranty focuses on everyday mechanical wear and tear, like a broken air conditioner or a refrigerator that’s on the fritz.
—Brittany Nims, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Every liner comes with a Lifetime Warranty against regular wear and tear.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear and tear
Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The wear and tear of an intense trip in which the first five games all came down to the final minutes didn’t faze Doncic.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Unlike homeowners insurance, which protects against unexpected events like fire, theft, or storms, a home warranty focuses on everyday mechanical wear and tear, like a broken air conditioner or a refrigerator that’s on the fritz.
—Brittany Nims, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Every liner comes with a Lifetime Warranty against regular wear and tear.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear and tear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wear and tear
wear
Noun
-
After a month of consistent wear, my nervous system finally felt calmer.—
Patsy Anthony,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Demonstrators at various protests have been seen wearing costumes like an inflatable dinosaur getup, an inflatable baby Trump and 18th-century wear.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wear and tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wear%20and%20tear. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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