wear down

verb

Definition of wear downnext
as in to wear out

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar 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 down Doing the same motion constantly can wear down muscles, nerves or tendons, causing a repetitive strain injury, per Cleveland Clinic. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026 Never use abrasive cleaning tools or abrasive detergents as that can wear down the PTFE coating on your grill mat. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 July 2026 Homes contain unpredictable people and objects that wear down or break. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026 Anything below 20,000 double rubs may wear down faster and is better suited to a bouclé loveseat, accent chair or other low-traffic piece of bouclé furniture. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for wear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wear down
  1. wear out
  2. break down
Verb
  • Still, charging you a $500 deductible for a tire that was clearly worn out seems wrong.
    — Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Eva’s struggle is that of women worn out between mental load, society’s expectations and their own dreams.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of wear out
Verb
  • Smith often tries to attack with his skill and can break down players one-on-one easily.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • But the rock is under constant monitoring, evacuation plans are prepared and experts say the rock is more likely to break down gradually than in one huge chunk.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of break down

Browse Nearby Words

wear (away)
wear down
wearied
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wear%20down. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
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 oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All