wear out
B1Informal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To make something damaged or useless through repeated use over time.
To exhaust someone physically or mentally; to cause extreme tiredness or patience to run out.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Phrasal verb. Usually refers to physical objects (literal) or a person's energy/patience (figurative). Can be transitive (wear something out) or intransitive (something wears out). The adjective form is 'worn-out'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the phrasal verb identically. The adjective 'worn-out' is standard in both. No significant difference in meaning or structure.
Connotations
Neutral connotation for objects; slightly negative when referring to people (implies exhaustion).
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP wear out NP] (transitive)[NP wear out] (intransitive)[be worn out] (adjectival passive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Wear out one's welcome”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"Constant restructuring can wear out the staff's morale."
Academic
"The repeated stress cycles caused the alloy to wear out prematurely."
Everyday
"I need new shoes; these ones have completely worn out."
Technical
"The bearing surface showed signs of wearing out due to friction."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- These cheap trainers will wear out in a month.
- Don't let the children wear out your patience.
- The clutch is starting to wear out.
American English
- This phone battery wears out too fast.
- Running every day wears me out.
- The carpet is wearing out near the door.
adjective
British English
- He was wearing a worn-out jumper.
- She felt completely worn-out after the hike.
American English
- I need to replace my worn-out tires.
- After the meeting, I was just worn out.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My old shoes have worn out.
- Playing football wears me out.
- Cheap furniture tends to wear out quickly.
- The teacher's patience was wearing out with the noisy class.
- The constant friction eventually wore out the mechanical part.
- If you keep visiting every weekend, you'll wear out your welcome.
- The artist's early, provocative style had worn out its novelty with the critics.
- Years of litigation had worn out both parties financially and emotionally.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a WORN-OUT carpet: the pattern has been WALKED ON so much it has WORN AWAY and is now OUT of use.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESOURCE IS WEARABLE OBJECT (e.g., 'My patience is wearing out'). USE IS FRICTION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'изнашивать' for people; use 'exhaust' or 'tire out'.
- Don't confuse with 'wear' (носить) alone. 'Wear out' implies a result of wearing.
Common Mistakes
- *My car is wearing. (Incorrect) -> My car is wearing out. (Correct)
- Using 'wear down' interchangeably (wear down often implies gradual reduction, wear out implies final unusable state).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'wear out' CORRECTLY in a figurative sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can say 'The children wore out their shoes' or 'The children wore their shoes out.' Both are correct.
'Wear out' implies becoming completely unusable. 'Wear down' implies gradual reduction (e.g., wear down resistance, wear down heels). Something worn down may still function.
Yes, commonly for abstract concepts like patience, welcome, sympathy, or novelty (e.g., 'His joke has worn out its welcome').
The past tense is 'wore out' (e.g., 'I wore out my last pair of jeans'). The past participle is 'worn out' (e.g., 'They have worn out their welcome').