-worn

¹

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.

worn

²

[wawrn]

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

verb

1. the past participle of wear.

worn

/ wɔːn /

verb

1. the past participle of wear 1

adjective

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

   a worn suit

2. haggard; drawn

3. exhausted; spent

Other Word Forms

• wornness noun
• self-worn adjective
• unworn adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of -worn¹

First recorded in 1500–10, for the adjective

Example Sentences

Some drop off boxes with barely worn designer clothing and accessories.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

No matter what she made on them, they did not get dirty or worn in any way.

Read more on MarketWatch

“Suns” refers to the gold insignia, equivalent to a U.S. general’s stars, worn on the epaulets of Venezuelan generals’ uniforms.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Scottish Gas Network were then called and as soon as its engineer entered the building his body worn gas detector sounded the alarm and he ordered the evacuation of the school.

Read more on BBC

Highlights include a pair of shoes worn by the domineering Miss Piggy in a "Muppets" movie, as well as puppets from "Fraggle Rock" and characters from the Netflix series "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance."

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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