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Synonyms

wearing

American  
[wair-ing] / ˈwɛər ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. gradually impairing or wasting.

    Reading small print can be wearing on the eyes.

  2. wearying or exhausting.

    a wearing task.

  3. relating to or made for wear.


wearing British  
/ ˈwɛərɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing fatigue or exhaustion; tiring

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unwearing adjective
  • wearingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of wearing

First recorded in 1805–15; wear + -ing 2

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.

He says he has barely spoken to his uncle since major protests in 2022 following the death in custody of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, who was accused of not wearing the compulsory hijab properly.

From BBC

During the incident, he was wearing a denim shirt and jeans.

From Los Angeles Times

He was wearing a compression sleeve over his right knee.

From Los Angeles Times

His hands were bound with plastic cable ties and he was wearing orange overalls and a black face mask.

From BBC

So, they braved the freezing temperatures and, while wearing “parkas, hoodies, gloves, and face masks,” spent the evening grilling.

From MarketWatch