weathered

American  

[weth-erd] / ˈwɛð ərd /

adjective

1. seasoned or otherwise affected by exposure to the weather.

2. (of wood) artificially treated to seem discolored or stained by the action of air, rain, etc.

3. (of rocks) worn, disintegrated, or changed in color or composition by weathering.

4. Architecture. made sloping or inclined, as a window sill, to prevent the lodgment of water.

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weathered British  

/ ˈwɛðəd /

adjective

1. affected by exposure to the action of the weather

2. (of rocks and rock formations) eroded, decomposed, or otherwise altered by the action of water, wind, frost, heat, etc

3. (of a sill, roof, etc) having a sloped surface so as to allow rainwater to run off

4. (of wood) artificially stained so as to appear weather-beaten

   weathered garden furniture

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Other Word Forms

• unweathered
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of weathered

First recorded in 1780–90; weather + -ed ²

Explanation

Weathered things are worn by use, time, or weather, like the weathered shingles on a beachside cottage or an elderly man's weathered face. Your favorite sneakers will look weathered by the end of the summer. And, the weathered Canadian flag your brother hung outside your house back when he was a hockey fan should probably be replaced with a Union Jack now that his favorite spectator sport is cricket. Weathered comes from the verb weather, which first meant just "come through safely," before gaining the meaning "wear away by exposure," like the paint on a boat over time.

Example Sentences

Yeti’s shares, which currently trade around $40, remain well below their five-year high of $100, as the company has weathered one storm after another.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Powell then weathered the most sustained political assault on the central bank in its modern history.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Instead, AI was used to co-design the character: Erwin originally imagined a bald Moses, but based on Kingsley’s feedback, they fine-tuned the look with weathered hair and mustache.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

But the price increases may also reflect some faith in a U.S. consumer that has weathered a half-decade of supply shocks and cost-of-living increases, and may be able to absorb even more, some experts say.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

It was creepy enough from the outside, the Spanish-style architecture crumbling from age, broken windows, a weathered stone cross at the top, all the classic dark-and-stormy-night elements.

From "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by emily m. danforth

Related Words

• accomplished
• competent
• hardened
• knowledgeable
• qualified
• skillful
• trained
• wise