outwear
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /aʊtwˈeə/
US
- /aʊtwˈɛr/
Description
- last longer than
- outlast
- be more durable than
When one thing outwears another, it lasts longer and stays useful for more time. A well-made winter coat might outwear a cheaper one by several years.
This word is mainly used for durability. If you say, "These solid boots will outwear the cheap pair," you mean the solid boots will stay in good condition longer. You may also meet the related form "outworn," especially in phrases like "outworn ideas," where it suggests something has become old, tired, or no longer useful.
To outwear something means to last longer than it. It describes one thing staying useful, strong, or in good condition for more time than another. This is the main meaning of the word. For example, if you say, "Quality leather jackets will outwear synthetic ones," you mean the leather jackets will still be in good shape after the synthetic ones have started to fail. The idea is simple: one thing handles time and use better than another.
The word often appears when people compare clothes, shoes, tools, or household items. A cast-iron pan may outwear a lighter pan. A strong backpack may outwear a cheaper one after years of travel. In each case, the focus is not on style or comfort first, but on how long something keeps working well.
There is also a related form, "outworn," which is more common in figurative writing. When someone talks about "outworn beliefs," "outworn habits," or "outworn arguments," they mean ideas or patterns that now feel old, weak, or no longer helpful. That sense grows naturally from the basic idea of something being worn down by time and use.
The usual forms are outwear (present), outwore (past), and outworn (past participle). In everyday English, the word is not very common, but when it appears, it usually points to lasting longer than something else. In short, outwear is a useful word for comparing endurance, especially when you want to say that one item survives wear better than another.
Examples
- 1
Work gear
These work boots should outwear any sneakers you bring to the site.
- 2
Clothing quality
A plain wool coat can outwear several cheaper fashion jackets.
- 3
Overused slogan
By the end of the campaign, the slogan had outworn its charm.
Meaning
outworn
used for so long that it no longer feels fresh or useful
Forms and spellings
5 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- outwearverb
Forms
- outwornpast participleverb
- outwearing-ing formverb
- outwearsverb
- outworepast tenseverb