Definition

Adjective: 1. Extremely tired; completely exhausted: Used to describe a person or animal that has no energy left, often due to prolonged physical or mental effort. 2. Damaged or deteriorated from long use: Used to describe an object that is no longer in good condition because it has been used too much.

Examples of Usage

• Describing a person:
  • After working a double shift, I felt completely worn out.
  • The new parents looked worn out from lack of sleep.
• Describing an object:
  • He threw away his worn-out shoes because the soles had holes.
  • The worn-out tires needed to be replaced before the long trip.

Advanced Usage

• "to wear someone/oneself out": This is the phrasal verb from which the adjective originates. It means to make someone extremely tired or to cause something to become damaged through use.
  • Chasing after the kids all day wears me out.
  • Constant friction will wear out the engine parts.

Variants and Related Words

• Worn (adjective): Damaged or thinner from use. This is the past participle of "wear" and is often used similarly to "worn-out" for objects, but may imply a less severe state.
  • The worn pages of the book showed it was well-loved.
• Wear and tear (noun phrase): The damage that happens to something through ordinary use over time.
  • The car has some minor wear and tear but runs well.

Synonyms

• Exhausted: Completely drained of energy.
• Fatigued: Very tired, often in a more formal or medical context.
• Depleted: Emptied of strength or resources.
• Threadbare: (For fabrics) Thin and tattered from overuse.
• Dilapidated: (For buildings or structures) In a state of disrepair or ruin.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Wear down: To gradually reduce someone's resistance or an object's thickness.
  • The constant stress began to wear her down.
  • The steps have been worn down by centuries of footsteps.

Related Idioms

• Run-down: Similar to "worn out," it can describe both a tired person and a dilapidated building or area.
  • You look really run-down; you should get some rest.
  • They lived in a run-down neighborhood.

Adjective

1. drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
   • the day's shopping left her exhausted
   • he went to bed dog-tired
   • was fagged and sweaty
   • the trembling of his played out limbs
   • felt completely washed-out
   • only worn-out horses and cattle
   • you look worn out