WEAR AND TEAR Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

wear and tear

noun

Definition of wear and tear

as in wear

the result of long and hard use my favorite jeans finally succumbed to wear and tear and had to be replaced

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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 wear and tear Barbecue rooted in Charlotte history When Council bought the building and surrounding land in January, decades of wear and tear had taken its toll. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026 Local governments face higher costs tied to providing more emergency response services and local roads face more wear and tear because of highway traffic getting diverted. — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026 The result should be less wear and tear on Stafford, who was hit 14 times and sacked four times in Denver and threw a pick six while forcing a hot read into the face of a heavy blitz. — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 The cost savings come from the fact that electric motors have no pistons, spark plugs, or the wear and tear that comes with burning fuel in a combustion engine. — New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wear and tear

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wear and tear

wear

Noun

The loss of Flyte and Coe (Tom Brooke) earlier in the season leaves the Horses a little worse for wear, but Slow Horses has one parting blow for our semi-competent hero, River (Jack Lowden), before the season ends.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
That staying power isn't guaranteed when the product is used on the cheeks and nose instead of the eyebrows, but its long-wear formula may help explain why Eilish chose it for her pre-show makeup routine.

— Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of wear

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wearables

wear and tear

wear (away)

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“Wear and tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wear%20and%20tear. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of wear and tear

noun

Example Sentences

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