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Sun 94 Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Wear down vs wear out

What is the differnce between wear down and wear out in the following sentence?

I feel worn down and I feel worn out.
  

Top answer

sun 94 I feel worn down and I feel worn out. In my opinion, both expressions are figurative when applied to a person. If the "lead" of a wooden pencil is "worn down," you can sharpen it and continue to use it.

— Avangi

  • sun 94 I feel worn down and I feel worn out.
  • In my opinion, both expressions are figurative when applied to a person.
  • If the "lead" of a wooden pencil is "worn down," you can sharpen it and continue to use it.
  • If the pencil is worn out, you usually throw it away.
  • With a person, it tends to be the opposite.
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1 Answers
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sun 94I feel worn down and I feel worn out.
In my opinion, both expressions are figurative when applied to a person.
If the "lead" of a wooden pencil is "worn down," you can sharpen it and continue to use it.

If the pencil is worn out, you usually throw it away.

With a person, it tends to be the opposite. "To be worn out" is a temporary
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