wearing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of wearingnext
1
as in crushing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in draining

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wearing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wear
1
as in killing
to use up all the physical energy of the job of running their own business wears them sometimes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in eroding
to damage or diminish by continued friction all that walking every day wore the soles of my shoes very quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in standing
British to put up with (something painful or difficult) her marriage is so bad—I don't know how she wears it

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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 wearing
Adjective
The force of Burton’s manic personality was very wearing. — Daneet Steffens, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wearing
  1. eroding
  2. fraying
  3. tolerating
  4. overwhelming
  5. accepting
  6. agonizing
  7. painful
  8. debilitating
Verb
  • Gerrymandering reduces electoral competition, entrenches incumbents, and marginalizes whole communities, ultimately eroding public trust in democracy.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The traditional barriers surrounding proprietary AI are eroding, ushering in a new era of innovation that will redefine the global AI race.
    — Vandana Rana, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of eroding
Verb
  • Perspective, of course, is sometimes no match for the cold math of an underwhelming win streak or a locker room with fraying edges.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The hems are finished with double stitching to prevent the edges from fraying or unraveling.
    — Maggie Horton, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of fraying
Verb
  • Thank you for tolerating a strange British idiot.
    — Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
  • Instead of being about a bunch of observers helplessly tolerating their peculiar friend, the sketch became an absurd illustration of the way groupthink manifests.
    — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of tolerating
Adjective
  • The caucus saw an overwhelming turnout, which election officials credited in part to voters turning out for Sanders.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2025
  • However, some children may internalize their overwhelming feelings after school to cope and symptoms can be more subtle, Jannot notes.
    — Liz Regalia, Parents, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of overwhelming
Verb
  • The administration has tried other novel ways to remove immigrants and pressure their home countries into accepting them.
    — Albert Sun, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Soriano, who awaits sentencing, also previously pleaded guilty to accepting gifts from another defense contractor, Cambridge International Systems Inc.
    — City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of accepting
Adjective
  • There are differing accounts of the agonizing dispute as residents and their homeowners association tried to stop the new condo.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
  • One in two children under 5 are acutely malnourished; over 537,000 suffer from severe acute malnutrition, a condition that is agonizing, life-threatening and entirely preventable.
    — Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of agonizing
Adjective
  • Winning that competition’s final in the Spanish city of Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21 would not only rescue a largely painful 2024-25 for either club but will also give them a spot in the 2025-26 Champions League, meaning six Premier League sides taking part in it next season.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • There still will be plenty of painful moments.
    — Christian Clark, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • Worry is such a debilitating thing that robs you of your energy and distracts you of your concentration.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Travis suffered a debilitating stroke about 12 years ago but continues to release original music with the aid of technologies.
    — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of debilitating

Browse Nearby Words

weariness
wearing
wearing (away)
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Cite this Entry

“Wearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wearing. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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