worn-out

[wawrn-out, wohrn-] / ˈwɔrnˈaʊt, ˈwoʊrn- /

ADJECTIVE

exhausted

Synonyms

STRONG

exhausted

WEAK

dead depleted destroyed drained effete etiolated frayed hackneyed impaired passé shabby shot spent stale tattered threadbare tired trite used useless

Antonyms

WEAK

fresh unused

ADJECTIVE

overused

Synonyms

STRONGEST

battered crumbling decaying dilapidated run-down worn

WEAK

broken-down decrepit deteriorated falling apart falling down in disrepair in ruins overused ramshackle the worse for wear used

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.

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

Speaking to the BBC, dressed in worn-out clothes and bathroom slippers, he sounds stressed and bitter as he recalls his incarceration.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

“Pavlov’s bulls came out in full force yesterday, ripping stocks at bad levels on the worn-out idea that geopolitics is always a fade,” said Brent Donnelly, president of Spectra Markets, in commentary shared with MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 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

I read the worn-out paperbacks in the common room.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

worn-out

Example Sentences

Related Words