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
Some wear and tear in the rotation is inevitable.
—
Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 June 2026
The wear and tear of his adventures left him with a bald spot under his cowboy hat.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 10 June 2026
When Cleaning Isn't Enough, Replace the Grout Sometimes, years of moisture, staining, and general wear and tear leave grout beyond the point of routine (or even deep) cleaning.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026
With the Teixeira addition on the horizon, Steube showing no signs of wear and tear on his elbow and Harrigan being just 38 years old, the Dems are facing the reality that this losing streak could extend out to a full decade.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear and tear
Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 June 2026
The wear and tear of his adventures left him with a bald spot under his cowboy hat.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 10 June 2026
When Cleaning Isn't Enough, Replace the Grout Sometimes, years of moisture, staining, and general wear and tear leave grout beyond the point of routine (or even deep) cleaning.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026
With the Teixeira addition on the horizon, Steube showing no signs of wear and tear on his elbow and Harrigan being just 38 years old, the Dems are facing the reality that this losing streak could extend out to a full decade.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear and tear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wear and tear
wear
Noun
-
Tired of spending large portions of already minimal means of disposable income on clothing that doesn’t retain its original shape, color or structure after a few wears, shoppers of today’s turbulent economic climate are hyper-focused on cost-per-wear when purchasing clothing online and in-person.—
Elizabeth Grace Coyne,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Layering pieces like white tees and flowy pants help tone down sheer dresses for everyday wear while still keeping the look fashion-forward.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wear and tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wear%20and%20tear. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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