worn
- 01 B1 Intermediate
damaged, thin, or old because it has been used a lot.
showing signs of significant physical degradation, friction, or erosion due to prolonged use.
Simple“The knees of his jeans were worn and had small holes in them.”
In context“The stone steps of the cathedral were deeply worn by the passage of millions of pilgrims over several centuries.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
looking very tired or worried.
showing signs of exhaustion, fatigue, or emotional distress in one's facial expression or appearance.
Simple“She looked worn after working a double shift at the hospital.”
In context“The manager appeared increasingly worn as the negotiations dragged into their third consecutive night without a resolution.”
Usage worn thin
By analogy to past participles like torn from tear and sworn from swear.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.