- past participle of wear.
worn
1 Americanadjective
-
diminished in value or usefulness through wear, use, handling, etc..
The car's front tires were very worn, with little tread left.
-
showing a considerable level of use or wear.
He read his speech from two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been folded and unfolded many times.
-
wearied; exhausted.
She looked worn but joyful as she held her newborn daughter.
verb
-
a combining form with the meaning “showing a specified level of use, deterioration, or consumption”.
Before you toss that little-worn top, consider if it could be given a second life.
-
a combining form with the meaning “showing wear, deterioration, or exhaustion from a specified cause”.
The old bridges fit the landscape, maybe because they are as windworn and aged as the land around them.
The knights were weary and battleworn when they returned to the castle.
verb
adjective
-
affected, esp adversely, by long use or action
a worn suit
-
haggard; drawn
-
exhausted; spent
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of worn
First recorded in 1500–10, for the adjective
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Conor, who works in media, has regularly worn shorts to the office during the recent hot weather.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
It isn’t one that was worn by Jim Thorpe, Red Grange, Jim Brown or any other early NFL legend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Dust coats the staircases leading to the balcony, while rows of worn seats still face the stage beneath peeling painted ceilings and decorative plasterwork.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Trump has also announced plans to renovate what he described as a "dilapidated, worn out" golf course in Washington called East Potomac Golf Links, saying it could host major tournaments when the work is complete.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Just under my feet was something of Cat’s, a small piece of yarn she had worn in her hair.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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War′-wast′ed, laid waste or ravaged by war; War′-wea′ried, -worn, wearied, worn, with military service—of a veteran.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.