ENGLISH
REFERENCE

worn

v.
A2 Elementary US //ˈwɔɹn// UK //wˈɔːn// worn

v. damaged or thinner because it has been used a lot. You use this to describe old clothes, tired faces, or things that are no longer new.

v. damaged, thinned, or diminished in quality through long use or attrition. Often used figuratively to describe physical exhaustion or repetitive emotional states.


SIMPLE

He likes to wear his old, worn jeans.

CONTEXTUAL

The stone steps of the ancient cathedral were worn smooth by centuries of visitors walking over them.

COMPLEX

After a decade of constant travel, his leather suitcase was heavily worn at the corners, yet it remained a sturdy companion for his international assignments.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

By analogy to past participles like torn from tear and sworn from swear.

Usage

Typically functions as an attributive adjective before a noun or a predicative adjective after a linking verb.

Pitfall

I have worn this shirt yesterdayI wore this shirt yesterdayLearners often confuse the past participle 'worn' with the simple past 'wore' when describing a finished action.

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