wear down
verb
wore down; worn down; wearing down; wears down
: to weary and overcome by persistent resistance or pressure
Examples of wear down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some have been completely worn down with obscurity over time; others appear to be washed and adorned with fresh flowers on a weekly basis.
—
Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
People were worn down by the waiting patterns imposed upon them by the state; in this film, the couple opts to break free through artistic expression, and mounting a new, dissident work.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
Harden took the job, and Louie in the first season is a man worn down by his reliance on alcohol but also respectful and appreciative toward everyone in the hospital.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
For an hour and a half on the video call, Nikita, an engineer, and Oksana, a nurse, described how their months at Dilley have worn down their children — physically, emotionally and academically.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear down
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.
Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
People were worn down by the waiting patterns imposed upon them by the state; in this film, the couple opts to break free through artistic expression, and mounting a new, dissident work.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
Harden took the job, and Louie in the first season is a man worn down by his reliance on alcohol but also respectful and appreciative toward everyone in the hospital.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
For an hour and a half on the video call, Nikita, an engineer, and Oksana, a nurse, described how their months at Dilley have worn down their children — physically, emotionally and academically.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wear down
Cite this Entry
“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
