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worn-out

worn-out

20 3.1
An object too old or damaged from heavy use to be useful
  • adjective
  • /wɔrn aʊt/
translation icon : desgastado
  • I held onto the door handle as our minivan lurched down the road on worn-out shocks.
  • old worn-out

And this is what we mean most often when we talk about mills being worn out.

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Examples

  • In darkness, I sit in my sofa chair, feeling the worn-out grooves on the armrests.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • All this stuff is worn out.

  • And my shoes are just about worn out from all this walking.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • All they left us were their worn-out horses.

  • I was in the back, between two men in worn-out suits who smelled worse than I did.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The dwarf still stood in his duffel jacket and worn-out shoes, watching him.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Suddenly exhausted and worn out, Santolalla collapsed onto a stool in the little salon.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • After running the marathon, I felt completely worn out and needed to rest.

  • The old couch was so worn out that it was no longer comfortable to sit on.

  • Her worn out shoes were a testament to the many miles she had walked.

Synonyms

beat-up
vsworn-out
41 5.2

Damaged and worn from rough use over a long time

stresses they are no longer fit for practical use
broken-down
vsworn-out
24 4.4

In very poor condition and not working because of age or neglect

includes that failure but also covers useful items worn beyond repair
beaten-up
vsworn-out
23 4.7

Damaged and worn from being hit or used a lot

covers general failure from age or exhaustion rather than only blunt damage
worn out
vsworn-out
23 2.9

Feeling very tired and having no energy

refers mainly to objects losing usefulness through long use or damage
unusable
vsworn-out
16 2.3

Damaged or broken so it does not work

is broader, including items that are worn but sometimes still usable
decrepit
vsworn-out
9 6.6

A building or vehicle that is very old and in poor condition from lack of care

is less about neglect and more about being unusable from wear
worse for wear
vsworn-out
8 6.8

Looking or feeling tired and in poor condition after use

indicates permanent unusability rather than temporary tiredness or wear
superannuated
vsworn-out
  • UK
1 9.9

Old and no longer useful because of age

focuses on loss of usefulness from heavy use rather than obsolescence
damaged
vsworn-out
1 1.1

Harmed so it works or looks worse

narrows this to being so worn that it cannot be used anymore
clapped out
vsworn-out
  • UK
1 8.6

Very tired or worn and not able to work well

is the neutral term for being too old or exhausted to use
outworn
vsworn-out
5.2

An object that has been used a lot and is now damaged or not useful

is about being too old or exhausted to remain useful
overworn
vsworn-out
6.2

Used so much that it looks old or no longer works well

focuses on being no longer usable because of age or wear
battered
vsworn-out
3.7

An object that is damaged and has many marks from rough use

emphasizes permanent unusability from extensive use rather than mere dirtiness
raddled
vsworn-out
  • UK
9.9

Worn and in bad condition from long use

is broader, highlighting lack of usefulness due to age or wear

Antonyms

new
1.0

In original condition and never used before

64 2.3

Fit for a purpose and works well

How Worn

unusable
16 2.3
worn-out
20 3.1
worn
4 2.1
used
1.0
serviceable
11 4.4

Surface Forms

worn-out positive

Morphology

worn-out = worn (transparent) = out + worn

Meaning is directly derived from the combination of 'worn' (damaged/used) + 'out' indicating exhausted or no longer serviceable, which learners can infer from the parts.

Etymology

Worn-out comes from the common verb wear, which means 'to use something until it becomes thin or damaged', and the word out, which means 'completely'. So a worn-out object is one that has been used so much it is used up or no longer useful.