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Showing results for "worn"
  • past participle of wear.
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  • worn
    worn
    adjective
    diminished in value or usefulness through wear, use, handling, etc..
  • -worn
    -worn
    a combining form with the meaning “showing a specified level of use, deterioration, or consumption”.
Synonyms

worn

1 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

verb

  1. the past participle of wear.

-worn 2 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.


worn British  
/ wɔːn /

verb

  1. the past participle of wear 1

"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

adjective

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

    a worn suit

  2. haggard; drawn

  3. exhausted; spent

"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

Etymology

Origin of worn

First recorded in 1500–10, for the adjective

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:

Conor, who works in media, has regularly worn shorts to the office during the recent hot weather.

From BBC Aug. 5, 2026

It isn’t one that was worn by Jim Thorpe, Red Grange, Jim Brown or any other early NFL legend.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 31, 2026

Dust coats the staircases leading to the balcony, while rows of worn seats still face the stage beneath peeling painted ceilings and decorative plasterwork.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 29, 2026

Trump has also announced plans to renovate what he described as a "dilapidated, worn out" golf course in Washington called East Potomac Golf Links, saying it could host major tournaments when the work is complete.

From Barron's Jul. 29, 2026

Just under my feet was something of Cat’s, a small piece of yarn she had worn in her hair.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

War′-wast′ed, laid waste or ravaged by war; War′-wea′ried, -worn, wearied, worn, with military service—of a veteran.—ns.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

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