-worn

¹ American  

1. a combining form with the meaning “showing a specified level of use, deterioration, or consumption”.

   Before you toss that little-worn top, consider if it could be given a second life.

2. a combining form with the meaning “showing wear, deterioration, or exhaustion from a specified cause”.

   The old bridges fit the landscape, maybe because they are as windworn and aged as the land around them.

   The knights were weary and battleworn when they returned to the castle.

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worn ² American  

[wawrn] / wɔrn /

adjective

1. diminished in value or usefulness through wear, use, handling, etc..

   The car's front tires were very worn, with little tread left.

2. showing a considerable level of use or wear.

   He read his speech from two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been folded and unfolded many times.

3. wearied; exhausted.

   She looked worn but joyful as she held her newborn daughter.

   Synonyms:

   spent, tired, fatigued

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verb

1. the past participle of wear.

worn British  

/ wɔːn /

verb

1. the past participle of wear 1

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adjective

1. affected, esp adversely, by long use or action

   a worn suit

2. haggard; drawn

3. exhausted; spent

Other Word Forms

• self-worn adjective
• unworn adjective
• wornness noun

Etymology

Origin of worn

First recorded in 1500–10, for the adjective

Example Sentences

On a curvy dockside stretch in Key West, Fla., called Lazy Way Lane is a worn out white bunker building with no windows.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gola was founded in 1905 and rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s with its football boots and other products worn by Liverpool stars and World Cup-winning England manager Alf Ramsey.

From Barron's

They would be worn for limited, prescribed periods during and following chemotherapy to provide compression to blood vessels.

From The Wall Street Journal

After being drafted in the third round by the Bengals, he became one of the most popular players with Cincinnati fans, and his No. 11 jersey was worn by thousands.

From Los Angeles Times

The user can control what appears on the lenses with a band worn on their wrist.

From Barron's

Related Words

• frayed
• shabby
• tattered
• threadbare
• timeworn
• well-worn