wear down

British  

verb

1. to consume or be consumed by long or constant wearing, rubbing, etc

2. to overcome or be overcome gradually by persistent effort

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wear down Idioms  

1. Diminish, weaken, or tire by relentless pressure, as in The heels of these shoes are quite worn down, or Her constant nagging about getting a new car wore down his resistance. [First half of 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wear down

I think he will be impressive and wear down a really robust and physically tough Hrgovic.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

Equipment would also wear down, break, and eventually need to be replaced.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

The factors that wear down a pipe’s structural integrity include soil compaction and water table variables, Soibelman said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

She was rusty, and she appeared to wear down physically by the end, but she wasn’t embarrassingly slow or off with her timing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Inside the building, the linoleum-floored hall, unlike the halls of the Mountain View Inn, was a broad smooth highway with no rough carpets to wear down the already thin tires of a little motorcycle.

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary