Meanings
verbwear out (third-person singular simple present wears out, present participle wearing out, simple past wore out, past participle worn out)
present singular third person wears out · participle present wearing out · past wore out · participle past worn out
- To cause (something) to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.
He wears a pair of tennis shoes out every summer.
3 more examples
You're going to wear out that game if you keep playing so rough with it.
"You never take the trouble to see if he will go without it; your whip is always going as if you had the St. Vitus' dance in your arm; and if it does not wear you out, it wears your horse out; you know you are always changing your horses, and why? because you never give them any peace or encouragement."
[1877], Anna Sewell, “Jerry Barker”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part III, page 175That concertina was a wonder in its way. The handles that was on it first was wore out long ago, and he'd made new ones of braided rope yarn. And the bellows was patched in more places than a cranberry picker's overalls.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC - intransitiveTo deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.
The old tractor finally wore out.
3 more examples
My shoes wear out quickly now that I walk to work.
Mr. Simpson adds that the station at Stanmore appears practically unchanged from the time of its opening, even to the L.N.W.R. rubber doormat, which "shows no signs of wearing out."
1942 September and October, “Notes and News: The Stanmore Branch”, in Railway Magazine, page 311"The signalling at Salisbury has be replaced for safety reasons in the next handful of years. It's worn out. Last week, there was a signal cable issue near Tisbury that stopped proper running for four whole days. The system is decaying.
2026 February 18, Paul Clifton, “West of England Line problems laid bare”, in RAIL, number 1055, page 7 - intransitiveTo become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary, as by continued strain or exertion.
I'm wearing out, guys. Time to go to sleep.
1 more example
They built our railways, but they wore themselves out in the process.
2021 December 29, Stephen Roberts, “Stories and facts behind railway plaques: Lancaster (1860)”, in RAIL, number 947, page 58 - Of apparel, to display in public.
Those sweatpants are great for loafing around the house, but they're not meant to be worn out.
- Southern USTo punish by spanking.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbOf a shirt, to not tuck into the pants; to wear in a casual manner.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
verbexhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Ancient Greek κατατρύχω, τρύχω
- κατατρύχω (katatrúkhō)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- τρύχω (trúkhō)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
Bulgarian износвам, износя
- износвам (iznosvam)to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- износя (iznosja)to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- износвам се impf износя се (iznosvam se)to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- изтощавам (iztoštavam)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- изтощя (iztoštja)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- износвам се (iznosvam se)to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
- износя се (iznosja se)to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
- изтощавам се (iztoštavam se)to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
- изтощя се (iztoštja se)to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
Dutch verslijten, verslijten
- verslijtento cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- verslijtento deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- vermoeiento exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- uitputtento become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
Esperanto eluziĝi, lacigi
- eluziĝito cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- lacigito exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
Finnish kuluttaa, kulua
- kuluttaato cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- kuluato deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- kuluttaato exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- väsyttääto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- uuvuttaato exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- väsyäto become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
French user, s'user
- userto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- s'userto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- fatiguerto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- harasserto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
German abnutzen, verschleißen
- abnutzento cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- verschleißento cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- ausleiernto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- verschleißento deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- sich abnutzento deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- erschöpfento exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- schlapp machento become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
Greek εξαντλώ, λιώνω
- εξαντλώ (exantló)to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- λιώνω (lióno)to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- λιώνω (lióno)to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
Hungarian elhasznál, elkoptat
- elhasználto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- elkoptatto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- elhasználódikto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- elkopikto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
Irish caith, imigh ó mhaith
- caithto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- imigh ó mhaithto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- liathto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- traochto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- traoithto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
Italian fare fuori, consumare
- fare fuorito cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- consumareto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- deteriorarsito deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- usurarsito deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- logorareto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- esaurireto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- sfinireto exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- stancareto become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
Japanese 擦り減らす, 擦り減る
- 擦り減らす (suriherasu)to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- 擦り減る (suriheru)to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- 疲れさせる (tsukaresaseru)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- 疲れる (tsukareru)to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
Latin terō, obsolesco
- terōto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- obsolescoto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
Māori taiākotikoti, taiākotikoti
- taiākotikotito cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- taiākotikotito deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
Polish dezelować, zdezelować
- dezelowaćto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- zdezelowaćto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- niszczyćto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- zniszczyćto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
Portuguese desgastar, desgastar
- desgastarto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- desgastarto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- desgastar-seto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
Russian изна́шивать, износи́ть
- изна́шивать (iznášivatʹ)to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- износи́ть (iznosítʹ)to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- изна́шиваться (iznášivatʹsja)to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- изма́тывать (izmátyvatʹ)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- изнуря́ть (iznurjátʹ)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
- устава́ть (ustavátʹ)to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
- утомля́ться (utomljátʹsja)to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
Scottish Gaelic teirig
- teirigto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
Spanish desgastar, ajar
- desgastarto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- ajarto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- ahajarto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
- desgastarseto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
- ajarseto deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
Swahili -chakaa
- -chakaato cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
Swedish slita ut
- slita utto cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
Thai บั่นทอน
- บั่นทอน (bàn-tɔɔn)to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
Cite this entry
APA
wear out. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wear%20out
MLA
“wear out.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wear%20out. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wear out,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wear%20out.
Source: wear out on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.