wear and tear
noun
: the loss, injury, or stress to which something is subjected by or in the course of use
especially
: normal depreciation
Examples of wear and tear in a Sentence
my favorite jeans finally succumbed to wear and tear and had to be replaced
Recent Examples on the Web
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell told reporters the current bollards were installed more than 10 years ago as part of a city infrastructure project, and the NOPD has long deemed the current system inefficient due to wear and tear.
—
Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Jan. 2025
Or the wear and tear of keeping this thing going the last three years might have worn this franchise down.
—Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
The replica guest chair won’t last that long, owing to wear and tear from selfie-seeking visitors.
—Zach Zimmerman, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
This wire bundle has been there for the last 20 years, and this component has been on and off of the aircraft X,Y and Z numbers of times, so there's obvious wear and tear.
—Jim Clash, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wear and tear 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Jan. 2025
Or the wear and tear of keeping this thing going the last three years might have worn this franchise down.
—Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
The replica guest chair won’t last that long, owing to wear and tear from selfie-seeking visitors.
—Zach Zimmerman, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
This wire bundle has been there for the last 20 years, and this component has been on and off of the aircraft X,Y and Z numbers of times, so there's obvious wear and tear.
—Jim Clash, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wear and tear
Dictionary Entries Near wear and tear
Cite this Entry
“Wear and tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20and%20tear. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share