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worn

When used as an adjective to describe a person, "worn" often implies a deep, long-term exhaustion rather than just being sleepy. As the past participle of "wear," it is frequently used in passive voice constructions (e.g., "the clothes were worn") or with auxiliary verbs like "have" or "had". Be careful not to confuse "worn" (damaged by use) with "warned" (told about a danger), as they can sound similar in some accents.

💬Casual Conversation

🎬Thursday afternoon, Fatima is in the library while Maya is at home cleaning.

Maya

Found your old sneakers. The soles are totally worn.

Fatima

Toss them. I'm beat anyway and can't deal with shopping right now.

💡

Maya uses 'worn' to describe the physical decay of the shoes (adjective). Fatima responds using the idiom 'I'm beat', which means she is exhausted, mirroring the thematic sense of fatigue associated with the word 'worn'.

Meanings

adjective

Damaged, thin, or decayed by long use, friction, or age.

"The soles of his old boots were completely worn."

adjective

Showing signs of tiredness or fatigue; exhausted.

"She looked worn after a long day of working in the garden."

verb (transitive)

The past participle of 'wear'; to have had clothing on one's body.

"He had worn that suit to every wedding for ten years."

verb (intransitive)

The past participle of 'wear'; to have become thinner or damaged through use.

"The carpet has worn in the hallway where people walk most."

Last Updated: May 22, 2026•Report an Error