# wearing

/ˈwɛɹɪŋ/ (US) · /wˈeəɹɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wearing
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 2. tiring or annoying

adjective · CEFR B2

something that makes you feel very tired or tests your patience.

For teachers: causing tiredness, exhaustion, or a loss of patience through persistence or repetition.

- Looking after three energetic toddlers all day can be very wearing.
- The constant noise from the construction site next door proved wearing for the office staff trying to meet their deadlines.

### 3. erosion or damage

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the process of something becoming thinner or damaged because it is used a lot.

For teachers: the mechanical process of erosion, attrition, or gradual impairment through use or exposure.

- The wearing of the stone steps over centuries showed how many people had walked there.
- Engineers monitored the gradual wearing of the turbine blades to determine the optimal schedule for preventative maintenance.

Usage: Often appears in the phrase 'wearing away'.

### 4. clothing items

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a word for clothes or things you wear, often used in shops.

For teachers: garments or items intended for use on the body; frequently used in compound nouns to denote specific categories of apparel.

- The boutique specialized in formal wearing for weddings and parties.
- The department store reorganized its floor plan to group all outdoor wearing in a single, easily accessible wing.

Usage: Usually found in compounds like 'evening wearing' or 'children's wearing', though 'wear' is more common in modern English.

## Examples

- She is wearing a blue dress today.
- He is wearing a heavy coat because the temperature dropped significantly this morning.
- While most guests were wearing formal suits, the artist arrived wearing a simple linen shirt, subtly signaling his indifference to the evening's strict dress code.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.