Phrase guide

wear out

verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To cause (something) to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use, especially hard, heavy, or careless use.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • You're going to wear out that game if you keep playing so rough with it.
  • He wears a pair of tennis shoes out every summer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The old tractor finally wore out.
  • My shoes wear out quickly now that I walk to work.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness, as by continued strain or exertion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • You kids are wearing me out!
  • Trying to keep up with politics wears me out.
  • Our physical advantage allowed us to wear the other team out and win.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary, as by continued strain or exertion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • I'm wearing out, guys. Time to go to sleep.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

Of apparel, to display in public.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Those sweatpants are great for loafing around the house, but they're not meant to be worn out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

Of a shirt, to not tuck into the pants; to wear in a casual manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A dress shirt should be tucked in, but a t-shirt can be worn out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To punish by spanking.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Southern-US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We wore ourselves out on this hike

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tire, wear upon, tire out, wear, weary, jade, outwear, wear down, fag out, fag, fatigue

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: indispose

Narrower terms: exhaust, wash up, beat, tucker, tucker out, overtire, overweary, overfatigue

9

verb

Meaning 9

deteriorate through use or stress

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The constant friction wore out the cloth

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wear, wear off, wear down, wear thin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deteriorate

Narrower terms: ablate, scuff

10

verb

Meaning 10

go to pieces

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The lawn mower finally broke
  • The gears wore out
  • The old chair finally fell apart completely

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: break, wear, bust, fall apart

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decay, crumble, dilapidate

Narrower terms: fray, frazzle

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

103 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: մաշել (mašel) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Armenian: քրքրել (kʻrkʻrel) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Azerbaijani: yırtıb-dağıtmaq — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Azerbaijani: köhnəltmək — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Bulgarian: износвам (iznosvam) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Bulgarian: износя (iznosja) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Dutch: verslijten — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Esperanto: eluziĝi — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Finnish: kuluttaa — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • French: user — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • German: abnutzen — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • German: verschleißen — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Greek: εξαντλώ (exantló) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Greek: λιώνω (lióno) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Hungarian: elhasznál — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Hungarian: elkoptat — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Irish: caith — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Italian: fare fuori — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Italian: consumare — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Japanese: 擦り減らす (suriherasu) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Latin: terō — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Māori: taiākotikoti — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Occitan: gausir — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Occitan: abenar — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Occitan: usar — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Polabian: ai̯brükot — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Polish: dezelować — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Polish: zdezelować — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Polish: niszczyć — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Polish: zniszczyć — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Portuguese: desgastar — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Russian: изна́шивать (iznášivatʹ) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Russian: износи́ть (iznosítʹ) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Spanish: desgastar — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Spanish: ajar — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Spanish: ahajar (disused) — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Swahili: -chakaa — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Swedish: slita ut — to cause to become damaged, useless, or ineffective through continued use
  • Armenian: մաշվել (mašvel) — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Armenian: քրքրվել (kʻrkʻrvel) — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Bulgarian: износвам се impf износя се (iznosvam se) — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Dutch: verslijten — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Finnish: kulua — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • French: s'user — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Galician: escangallar — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • German: ausleiern — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • German: verschleißen — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • German: sich abnutzen — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Greek: λιώνω (lióno) — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Hungarian: elhasználódik — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Hungarian: elkopik — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Irish: imigh ó mhaith — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Old Irish: ara·chrin — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Italian: deteriorarsi — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Italian: usurarsi — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Italian: logorare — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Japanese: 擦り減る (suriheru) — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Khmer: សឹក (sək) — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Latin: obsolesco — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Māori: taiākotikoti — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Portuguese: desgastar — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Portuguese: desgastar-se — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Quechua: llik'iy — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Russian: изна́шиваться (iznášivatʹsja) — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Scottish Gaelic: teirig — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Spanish: desgastarse — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Spanish: ajarse — to deteriorate or become unusable or ineffective due to continued use, exposure, or strain
  • Bulgarian: изтощавам (iztoštavam) — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Bulgarian: изтощя (iztoštja) — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Dutch: vermoeien — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Esperanto: lacigi — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Finnish: kuluttaa — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Finnish: väsyttää — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Finnish: uuvuttaa — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • French: fatiguer — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • French: harasser — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Galician: cansar — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Galician: fatigar — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • German: erschöpfen — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Ancient Greek: κατατρύχω (katatrúkhō) — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Irish: liath — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Irish: traoch — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Irish: traoith — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Italian: esaurire — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Italian: sfinire — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Japanese: 疲れさせる (tsukaresaseru) — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Russian: изма́тывать (izmátyvatʹ) — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Russian: изнуря́ть (iznurjátʹ) — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Thai: บั่นทอน (bàn-tɔɔn) — to exhaust; to cause or contribute to another's exhaustion, fatigue, or weariness
  • Bulgarian: износвам се (iznosvam se) — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Bulgarian: износя се (iznosja se) — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Bulgarian: изтощавам се (iztoštavam se) — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Bulgarian: изтощя се (iztoštja se) — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Dutch: uitputten — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Finnish: väsyä — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Galician: randar — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Galician: cansar — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Galician: fatigar — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • German: schlapp machen — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Italian: stancare — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Japanese: 疲れる (tsukareru) — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Russian: устава́ть (ustavátʹ) — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary
  • Russian: утомля́ться (utomljátʹsja) — to become exhausted, tired, fatigued, or weary