How to Use wear down in a Sentence

wear down

verb
  • The pads of his feet were worn down to bloody open sores.
    — Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Her long brown locks were worn down in a center part.
    — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Her brunette hair was worn down in loose waves for her outing.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Her blonde locks were worn down and had been styled into loose waves.
    — Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 12 June 2023
  • Kidman’s long blond hair was styled in a straight look and worn down.
    — Julia Teti, WWD, 26 June 2024
  • Old ones wear down and are shed; new and sharper ones appear.
    — Michael Powell, Star Tribune, 17 Oct. 2020
  • In short, shoppers are worn down by higher prices.
    — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
  • These small but daily digs wear down my self-esteem and self-worth.
    — Sahaj Kaur Kohli, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
  • Her long blond hair was worn down and straight, flowing over her shoulders.
    — Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 13 July 2025
  • Her blond hair was styled straight, worn down and featured a middle part.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Abrasive pads, steel wool, and even magic erasers can wear down the paint over time.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
  • As the gator wore down Blake got a snare around it and worked it toward their boat.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
  • These are best used once or twice a year to keep your knives from wearing down too quickly.
    — Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Steer wore down the pitcher and set up the next batter for success.
    — The Enquirer, 31 July 2023
  • This type of arthritis causes the joint tissue to wear down over time.
    — Janelle McSwiggin, Msn, Health, 21 July 2024
  • Dowdle’s body began to wear down in the second half.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Her honey-blonde hair was worn down and loose in her signature waves.
    — Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
  • Charlo doesn’t throw or move enough to tire out or wear down Álvarez.
    — Manouk Akopyan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2023
  • Heavy loads can also wear down your washing machine faster.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Your brain is not passively wearing down with age.
    — Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Paltrow looked sun-kissed and glowy in a midriff-bearing skirt set, with her wavy hair worn down.
    — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 17 July 2023
  • The season runs 34 games, a length that wears down many players.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Old film prints were getting worn down, and studios weren’t making new ones.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023
  • There, the cameras caught her with a jovial and fresh look, with her hair worn down with little styling.
    — Michel Mejía, Glamour, 3 Sep. 2023
  • Her dark hair was worn down in a simple blowout and her makeup look was subtle and glowy.
    — Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2024
  • Raleigh, like most catchers, is getting worn down by the grind of a long season.
    — John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Stick wasn’t sacked until early in the third, and then the line got worn down (5 sacks).
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023
  • With semi-precious stones, they are adhered with glue and the bond will wear down over time.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
  • First off, just like skateboard wheels, fingerboard wheels can wear down with long-term use.
    — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Her sleek, silver-blond hair was styled with a middle part and worn down in soft, flowing waves.
    — Julia Teti, WWD, 4 Feb. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wear down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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