wear and tear

American  

[tair] / tɛər /

Or wear-and-tear

noun

1. damage or deterioration resulting from ordinary use; normal depreciation.

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wear and tear British  

noun

1. damage, depreciation, or loss resulting from ordinary use

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wear and tear Idioms  

1. Damage and deterioration resulting from ordinary use and exposure, as in This sofa shows a lot of wear and tear; we should replace it. [Second half of 1600s]

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Etymology

Origin of wear and tear

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wear and tear

Lower limb injuries including sprains, bone damage and wear and tear of the tendons are common, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

The wear and tear of working in warehouses for 20 years has also aggravated his health issues.

From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026

Together, these findings strengthen the idea that aging is not simply the result of wear and tear across the body.

From Science Daily ● May 24, 2026

The Dodgers are going to protect their personnel from as much wear and tear as possible — and from themselves.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026

Connecting digitally eliminated a tremendous amount of wear and tear and seemed to satisfy everyone around the ‘virtual table.’

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Related Words

• depletion
• depreciation
• erosion