worn-out
adjective
worn or used beyond repair.
worn-out
American
[wawrn-out, wohrn-]
/ ˈwɔrnˈaʊt, ˈwoʊrn- /
adjective
-
worn or used beyond repair.
-
depleted of energy, strength, or enthusiasm; exhausted; fatigued.
worn-out
British
adjective
-
worn or used until threadbare, valueless, or useless
-
exhausted; very weary
worn out
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of worn-out
First recorded in 1585–95
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.
See Examples For:
Fans sit on plastic chairs arranged on the sandy floor, their chatter mingling with the hum of a worn-out generator.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
I make hotpads from worn-out terry cloth towels and I turn fabric scraps into comforter tops.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
But any film that hinges on its cast to prop up a worn-out narrative should be approached with suspicion, if approached at all.
From Salon ● Jan. 4, 2026
On top of that, Monza was resurfaced before last year's race, and the new surface has more grip than the old, worn-out one on which Hamilton set the previous record.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2025
He pulled out a piece of paper from his worn-out binder.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
Osteoarthritis is not simply about "worn out" joints.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2026
Some jets keep the cabin pressure closer to what they would experience on the ground, which companies say leaves passengers feeling less worn out after long flights.
From BBC ● Feb. 8, 2026
“It’s gone beyond political to exhaustion. ‘I’m just worn out.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 4, 2026
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 ● Jan. 8, 2026
When I told Mama, she said, “I’d rather get worn out twice a year than stay worn out all the time.”
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
