as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness
outworn clothes with holes in them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in outlived
to last longer than
these running shoes have outworn any others that I have ever bought
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in worn
to use up all the physical energy of
a daily grind that would outwear anybody
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of outworn
Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Perhaps that’s the legacy of outworn stereotypes about corruption or a lack of the type of political will that’s brought more rapid changes to corporate governance and sustainable investing standards in, for example, some Nordic countries.
—Cassie Werber, Quartz, 7 June 2022
This colossal tactical error has been compounded by the lingering centrist deference to a long-outworn image of the Supreme Court as a grand impartial arbiter of constitutional outcomes.
—Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, 10 Feb. 2022
So, the high temperature of 62 seemed an obvious anachronism, an outdated and outworn remnant of earlier times.
—Washington Post, 9 May 2021
With his understanding of and affection for the hardy inhabitants of the mountainous American West, Walker-Silverman brings a new and tender radiance to the idea of regional filmmaking, along with an awareness of outworn stereotypes.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
In the week to come use the opportunities and insights that arise to rid yourself of outworn ideas, attitudes and habits.
—Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, 11 Aug. 2019
This was not a forgone conclusion at the time; indeed, during the 1930s, democracy was widely viewed as an outworn political form.
—Taeku Lee, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2013
Adjective
Setting recent works among older ones is an effective element of LACMA’s overall plan to shed outworn hierarchies.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Perhaps that’s the legacy of outworn stereotypes about corruption or a lack of the type of political will that’s brought more rapid changes to corporate governance and sustainable investing standards in, for example, some Nordic countries.
—Cassie Werber, Quartz, 7 June 2022
This colossal tactical error has been compounded by the lingering centrist deference to a long-outworn image of the Supreme Court as a grand impartial arbiter of constitutional outcomes.
—Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, 10 Feb. 2022
So, the high temperature of 62 seemed an obvious anachronism, an outdated and outworn remnant of earlier times.
—Washington Post, 9 May 2021
With his understanding of and affection for the hardy inhabitants of the mountainous American West, Walker-Silverman brings a new and tender radiance to the idea of regional filmmaking, along with an awareness of outworn stereotypes.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
In the week to come use the opportunities and insights that arise to rid yourself of outworn ideas, attitudes and habits.
—Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, 11 Aug. 2019
This was not a forgone conclusion at the time; indeed, during the 1930s, democracy was widely viewed as an outworn political form.
—Taeku Lee, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outworn
Adjective
-
As horses on the battlefront became obsolete as technology (and tanks) advanced, American polo was left with a serious pipeline problem.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
7 May 2026
-
Change a single assumption about how quickly AI chips become obsolete, and cumulative spending swings by hundreds of billions of dollars.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
By then, the WTA Tour Finals had outlived its usefulness to Saudi Arabia’s wider tennis ambitions, two people briefed on its sports ministry’s operations, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Plutarch wrote it down for posterity, and the line outlived everything else known about the campaign.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Dark wavy hair worn loose and bleached eyebrows completed her look.—
Renan Botelho,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
-
In the movie, Weaver gets decked out in an X-wing fighter jumpsuit – the legendary orange number worn by Hamill back in the day – and gets to pilot a starship.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Those archaic teams did not have lofty expectations like the ones that featured Simmons.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Doubled down with odd and archaic roster construction.—
Jannelle Moore,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, the company said.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
-
Stenson is survived by his brothers John and his wife Mary, Tom and his wife Mary, Robert and his wife Kristin Callaghan and his nieces and nephews Kaitlin, Christopher, Elizabeth, Jack, Grace, Aidan and Keira.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
But muddy conditions led to slop and chaos, and tired out the front-runners after a very fast opening pace, clearing the way for the closer to do his thing.—
Peter Keating,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
Plus, their fabric and fill are less likely to accrue that ever-darkening yellowish stain that tired goose down pillows acquire over time, thanks to sweat, oils, lotion residues, etc.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Like des Esseintes’s inclination toward the antiquated, Carly’s taste for vintage kitsch runs retro-romantic.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
For years, the armies on the Western Front were immobilized by the combination of modern technology and antiquated tactics.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Both operated outside traditional structures, backing experimental work and building networks that outlasted them.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
4 May 2026
-
And in Cleveland, the Cavs outlasted the Raptors thanks in large part to center Jarrett Allen, who scored 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in what was likely the finest playoff performance of his career.—
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outworn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outworn. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
