wear down
verb
wore down; worn down; wearing down; wears down
: to weary and overcome by persistent resistance or pressure
Examples of wear down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For overmatched and often isolated older people – especially those worn down by long-standing court battles that require meticulous attention to complicated documents and complex laws – the stress is often more intense, eviction experts said.
—
Ethan Ward, USA TODAY, 26 June 2024
Ukraine’s international partners must also help wear down Russia by enforcing economic sanctions and communicating clearly that these measures would be lifted if Russia were to retreat.
—Keith L. Carter, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2024
Those references wear down the overall story, but there are plenty of laughs, and Hornella Gongora crushes the 11 o’clock number.
17.
—Barry Levitt, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
No, these Huskies simply wore down opponents, and any lingering critics.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wear down 
Ethan Ward, USA TODAY, 26 June 2024
Ukraine’s international partners must also help wear down Russia by enforcing economic sanctions and communicating clearly that these measures would be lifted if Russia were to retreat.
—Keith L. Carter, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2024
Those references wear down the overall story, but there are plenty of laughs, and Hornella Gongora crushes the 11 o’clock number.
17.
—Barry Levitt, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
No, these Huskies simply wore down opponents, and any lingering critics.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wear down
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.
Dictionary Entries Near wear down
Cite this Entry
“Wear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20down. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share