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

"I don't think it's bad fortune. It's just age, the wear and tear of the body," he said at the time.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

There will inevitably be some wear and tear if you are having strangers in your house.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026

Boeing, owing to its past takeover of MD-11 maker McDonnell Douglas, plays a major role in tracking how its aircraft handle wear and tear and informing customers how to maintain them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 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

“Boy, Grandpa,” I said, “we should have thought about this library a long time ago. It sure would have saved a lot of wear and tear on Rowdy and me.”

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• depletion
• depreciation
• erosion