Definition

Verb (intransitive) 1. To pass or elapse slowly and often tediously: Used to describe the gradual, sometimes wearying, passage of time, especially when waiting or during an uneventful or difficult period.

Usage

• The phrase "wear on" is used to describe how time progresses, emphasizing that it feels slow, long, or burdensome.
• It is typically used with subjects like "time," "the day," "the night," "the hours," "the weeks," etc.
• It often implies a sense of boredom, impatience, fatigue, or discomfort for the person experiencing the passage of time.

Examples

• As the meeting wore on, people began to lose focus.
• The winter wore on with no sign of warmer weather.
• She tried to stay patient as the hours wore on.
• The day wore on, and still there was no news from the hospital.

Advanced Usage

• "to wear on someone": To gradually cause someone to become irritated, tired, or impatient.
  • His constant complaining began to wear on his colleagues.

Variants and Related Words

• Wear (verb): To diminish or erode through use, time, or exposure. (e.g., )
• Wearing (adjective): Causing physical or mental fatigue; tiring. (e.g., )

Synonyms

• Drag on
• Creep by
• Elapse slowly

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Wear down: To overcome resistance through persistent pressure or attrition.
  • The negotiators hoped to wear down their opponents.
• Wear off: To diminish gradually and disappear.
  • The effects of the medicine will wear off in a few hours.

Verb

1. pass slowly (of time)
   • The day wore on