WORN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does worn mean? 

• WORN (adjective)
  The adjective WORN has 2 senses:

1. affected by wear; damaged by long use

2. showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

  Familiarity information: WORN used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WORN (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Affected by wear; damaged by long use

Context example:

the worn pockets on the jacket

Similar:

played out (worn out)

well-worn (showing signs of much wear or use)

weather-beaten; weathered; weatherworn (worn by exposure to the weather)

waterworn ((of rocks especially) worn smooth by the action of water)

vermiculate; worm-eaten; wormy (infested with or damaged (as if eaten) by worms)

thumbed ((of pages) worn or soiled by thumb and fingers by frequent handling or turning)

threadbare (having the nap worn away so that the threads show through)

tatterdemalion; tattered (worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing)

shopsoiled; shopworn (worn or faded from being on display in a store)

scruffy; seedy (shabby and untidy)

moth-eaten; ratty; shabby; tatty (showing signs of wear and tear)

raddled; worn-out (used until no longer useful)

ragged (being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn)

moth-eaten; mothy (worn or eaten away by (or as if by) moths)

mangey; mangy (having many worn or threadbare spots in the nap)

frayed (worn away or tattered along the edges)

eroded; scoured (worn away as by water or ice or wind)

dog-eared; eared (worn or shabby from overuse or (of pages) from having corners turned down)

creaky; decrepit; derelict; flea-bitten; run-down; woebegone (worn and broken down by hard use)

clapped out (worn from age or heavy use and no longer able to operate (of cars or machines or people))

battered (damaged especially by hard usage)

attrited (worn by rubbing or friction)

aged (at an advanced stage of erosion (pronounced as one syllable))

Also:

old (of long duration; not new)

Antonym:

new (unaffected by use or exposure)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

Synonyms:

careworn; drawn; haggard; raddled; worn

Context example:

shocked to see the worn look of his handsome young face

Similar:

tired (depleted of strength or energy)

 Context examples 

They looked worn; and I thought Mr. Peggotty's head was bowed in one night more than in all the years I had known him.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Worn out with this torture of thought, I rose to my knees.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Something must have been wanting within, or time would have worn away much of its ill effect.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Any device worn within the mouth that can be removed and is not primarily designed to replace teeth.

(Intraoral Appliance, NCI Thesaurus)

They had never been worn, my mother said.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Once more the night came on, and worn out he lay down under a bush and fell asleep.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Yours are worn three inches deeper than his.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I've been at it till I'm all worn out.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A covering worn over one eye.

(Eyepatch, NCI Thesaurus)

'And in every way such a glove as might be worn by the fairest and sweetest lady in England,' quoth the Englishman.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)