wear down

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Lawyers representing immigrants in prolonged detention say the government is keeping people locked up in hopes of wearing down their clients so they abandon their fight to remain in the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

George Russell's Mercedes was disqualified from victory in Belgium last season for being underweight - partly because the underfloor wore down more than the team expected.

From BBC

Iowa is all about controlling the ball, grinding the clock and wearing down opposing defenses.

From Los Angeles Times

The cognitive labor of constant rebuttal — the fatigue of knowing and re-knowing the same facts — slowly wears down public reasoning.

From Salon

Osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage cushioning the ends of bones wears down, leading to swelling, stiffness, and discomfort.

From Science Daily