wear thin
Idioms-
Be weakened or diminished gradually, as in My patience is wearing thin . [Late 1800s]
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Become less convincing, acceptable, or popular, as in His excuses are wearing thin . [First half of 1990s] Both usages transfer the thinning of a physical object, such as cloth, to nonmaterial characteristics.
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.
Hopefully, that mirth is starting to wear thin.
From Salon ● Jan. 2, 2026
But the “companies are just better” excuse starts to wear thin when the gold standard of valuation enters the discussion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025
It’s a strong start for a story about how, amid hardship and desperation, compassion can wear thin.
From New York Times ● Dec. 5, 2024
Drumboxers wear thin, mixed martial arts gloves for the exercise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2023
Tempers began to wear thin in the close quarters.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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.
