wear away
phrasal verb
wore away; worn away; wearing away; wears away
: to gradually disappear or to cause (something) to gradually disappear or become thinner, smaller, etc., because of use
The paint on the sign had worn away.
Even a trickle of water will eventually wear rock away.
—often used as (be) worn awayThe table's finish was worn away.
Examples of wear away in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The whole process is starting to wear away at the Andersons, especially Yvette’s 80-year-old mother, Katherine, who suffers from Stage 4 kidney failure.
—
Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
The exterior also introduces the air of whimsy that went into the design, with the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot plated in silver and gold in such a way as to suggest that the sculpture is 'really' made of gold, under a silver disguise that has worn away.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 30 Oct. 2024
Tooth erosion occurs when enamel wears away due to exposure to acids, making the teeth more sensitive and prone to damage.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 30 July 2024
Like actual archives, the installations are subject to entropy, their records wearing away—literally in the case of Brinkmann’s, where vinyl records set spinning for the past 12 years are worn down to emit only a wheezing gasp of sound.
—Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 10 Jan. 2025
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Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
The exterior also introduces the air of whimsy that went into the design, with the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot plated in silver and gold in such a way as to suggest that the sculpture is 'really' made of gold, under a silver disguise that has worn away.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 30 Oct. 2024
Tooth erosion occurs when enamel wears away due to exposure to acids, making the teeth more sensitive and prone to damage.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 30 July 2024
Like actual archives, the installations are subject to entropy, their records wearing away—literally in the case of Brinkmann’s, where vinyl records set spinning for the past 12 years are worn down to emit only a wheezing gasp of sound.
—Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for wear away
Dictionary Entries Near wear away
Cite this Entry
“Wear away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wear%20away. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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