1
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
worn-out tourists heading back to their hotel after a hard day of sightseeing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
used a worn-out T-shirt for dusting the furniture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in worn
to use up all the physical energy of
keeping up with twin toddlers wears me out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 worn-out
Mayte Salido, Glamour, 4 Jan. 2026
Palestinians have long called for mobile homes and caravans to be allowed in to protect them against living in impractical and worn-out tents.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
By contrast, the U.S. Air Force has only 16 serviceable AWACS, and these are the nearly obsolete and badly worn-out E-3G Sentry.
—Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
But faulty or worn-out tubes can result in water spewing onto sidewalks, Choltko explains.
—Yvette Fernandez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
Enduring a week’s worth of cold water plunges can jolt the body’s cells into starting the process of autophagy to clean up and recycle old, worn-out, and broken parts, according to a new study.
—New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2025
Balenciaga, too, offered its takes on tailoring, opening its maze-like runway with slim, simple suits — some hand-creased, others worn-out — that felt less provocative than its usual offerings.
—Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Most recently, my lack of preparation has left me with a minimal and worn-out rotation of winter travel clothes — a major dilemma, considering there are several weeks left of frigid temperatures ahead of me.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
Look for Bait Spawns and Insect Hatches As the bass spawn wraps up, numerous shallow food sources become plentiful for the weary and worn-out bass coming off the beds.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024
Saleen Martin, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
This practice distributes the wear and tear evenly, so no single pillow gets overly compressed or worn out too quickly.
—Anyssa Roberts, The Spruce, 26 Jan. 2026
Those worn out employees are 35% more likely to job hunt.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
If your utensils have worn out their welcome, swap them with these nontoxic tools to cook without worries.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2026
The previous device had worn out so much that two of the toenails had fallen off.
—Ramon Taylor, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
That must include a lounge set that’s comfy enough for relaxing on the couch but has a polished design that looks put-together when worn out of the house.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
The slight platform, adjustable heel strap, and suede upper add up to a sleek shoe that feels like a slipper but can easily be worn out of the house.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 6 Jan. 2026
Professors, too, have been worn out by the grading nightmare.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Characterized by their faded or worn-out effect, as if their original color had been lightened by washing, these beloved jeans stand out for their vintage and carefree air.
—Mayte Salido, Glamour, 4 Jan. 2026
Palestinians have long called for mobile homes and caravans to be allowed in to protect them against living in impractical and worn-out tents.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
By contrast, the U.S. Air Force has only 16 serviceable AWACS, and these are the nearly obsolete and badly worn-out E-3G Sentry.
—Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
But faulty or worn-out tubes can result in water spewing onto sidewalks, Choltko explains.
—Yvette Fernandez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
Enduring a week’s worth of cold water plunges can jolt the body’s cells into starting the process of autophagy to clean up and recycle old, worn-out, and broken parts, according to a new study.
—New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2025
Balenciaga, too, offered its takes on tailoring, opening its maze-like runway with slim, simple suits — some hand-creased, others worn-out — that felt less provocative than its usual offerings.
—Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Most recently, my lack of preparation has left me with a minimal and worn-out rotation of winter travel clothes — a major dilemma, considering there are several weeks left of frigid temperatures ahead of me.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
Look for Bait Spawns and Insect Hatches As the bass spawn wraps up, numerous shallow food sources become plentiful for the weary and worn-out bass coming off the beds.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024
Verb
User @briadeshaun took a more relatable route and impersonated an out-of-shape owl, worn out from flying and repeatedly panting to catch its breath.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
This practice distributes the wear and tear evenly, so no single pillow gets overly compressed or worn out too quickly.
—Anyssa Roberts, The Spruce, 26 Jan. 2026
Those worn out employees are 35% more likely to job hunt.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
If your utensils have worn out their welcome, swap them with these nontoxic tools to cook without worries.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2026
The previous device had worn out so much that two of the toenails had fallen off.
—Ramon Taylor, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
That must include a lounge set that’s comfy enough for relaxing on the couch but has a polished design that looks put-together when worn out of the house.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
The slight platform, adjustable heel strap, and suede upper add up to a sleek shoe that feels like a slipper but can easily be worn out of the house.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 6 Jan. 2026
Professors, too, have been worn out by the grading nightmare.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worn-out
Adjective
-
Plush cushioning on the insoles relieves tired feet during the day, making these comfortable enough to wear for hours.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Some people are probably tired of hearing my name.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
If your denim is tattered and worn beyond repair, don't worry.—
Heather Bien,
Martha Stewart,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Worn Washcloths or Towels Go through all your linens in the bathroom, and discard any that are old, stained, tattered, or smell weird.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In a symbolic act, Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday removed a yellow pin worn by many Israeli citizens and public figures since the early months of the war to show solidarity with the hostages and their families.—
Julia Frankel,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Cast in sterling silver, each piece is modeled on the bone of the area of the body where it will be worn — with a statement choker in the form of a wishbone, earrings modeled on ear bones found in avians and rings shaped after the bones of the feet.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What is rarely quantified, however, is the ways in which extended family—like aunties—often supplement what may be otherwise lacking, limited or exhausted.—
Ashley Simpo,
Parents,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Near the end of the movie, there’s a heavy sense of dread—everyone feels hopeless, and exhausted.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At 836,000 square miles, Greenland is nearly 80 percent ice, a frozen leaf dangling in the far North Atlantic with dramatic, ragged edges, impossibly sheer cliffs that dwarf even El Capitan, and a massive ice sheet as thick as 11,000 feet.—
Tim Neville,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Her breath was becoming more ragged.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Two days shy of the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that killed 67 people near the nation’s capital, the National Transportation Safety Board will meet to determine the probable cause of the midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The fire killed two people, destroyed 1,084 homes and businesses and did more than $2 billion in property damage.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Thirty years of closure didn’t slow down progress Despite more than half a century of entertainment, the State Theatre closed in 1990 as other movie theaters started popping up and the mechanics of the building became weary.—
Angela George,
Sioux Falls Argus Leader,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Every imaginable class is on offer at the state-of-the-art fitness center and movement studios and weary muscles can be revived by hitting the Springhouse Circuit, which includes a salt room, cedar sauna, hyperbaric oxygen chamber, tepidarium, and cold plunge.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, her glam was soft and even-toned, bolstered only by a sharp baby wing of black liner, highlight on her nose and a faded taupe hue on her lips.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Each of the 22 pages, about the size of those in a typical hardcover book, is inscribed on both sides with easily visible black and faded-brown words written by the monks.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Worn-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worn-out. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
