as in to wear out
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Recent Examples of wear down
Since cast iron and carbon steel rely on polymerized oils to form a nonstick, protective barrier on the pan, simmering liquids (especially acidic ones) can wear down the seasoning layer to the raw metal underneath.
—
Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Dec. 2025
Cronin highlighted the fact that in his team-high 38 minutes, Dent did a lot to wear down Ducks defenders – whether or not his shots were falling, as fickle as shots can be.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 7 Dec. 2025
Erosion of Dental Enamel Chewable or gummy vitamin C supplements are often acidic and can wear down dental enamel over time.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 5 Dec. 2025
Putin is trying to ‘wear down’ the will of US, Europe and Ukraine.
—FOXNews.com, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wear down
Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Dec. 2025
Cronin highlighted the fact that in his team-high 38 minutes, Dent did a lot to wear down Ducks defenders – whether or not his shots were falling, as fickle as shots can be.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 7 Dec. 2025
Erosion of Dental Enamel Chewable or gummy vitamin C supplements are often acidic and can wear down dental enamel over time.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 5 Dec. 2025
Putin is trying to ‘wear down’ the will of US, Europe and Ukraine.
—FOXNews.com, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wear down
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Their motions are often planned offline and break down when real-world conditions change.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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Below, the beauty experts break down essential steps to keeping your skin barrier smooth and supple—single digit degrees be damned!—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wear%20down. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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