Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Showing signs of much wear or use.
  • adjective Repeated too often; trite or hackneyed.
  • adjective Carried or worn in a becoming manner.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Much affected by wear or use: hence, familiar from frequent repetition; worn threadbare.
  • Properly or becomingly worn; suitably borne or maintained.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective showing signs of wear because of extensive use
  • adjective by extension trite or hackneyed; repeated too often

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective showing signs of much wear or use
  • adjective repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • He referred to the well-worn trail to our outhouse.

    Chicken Soup for the Soul: All in the Family Jack Canfield 2009

  • He referred to the well-worn trail to our outhouse.

    Chicken Soup for the Soul: All in the Family Jack Canfield 2009

  • He referred to the well-worn trail to our outhouse.

    Chicken Soup for the Soul: All in the Family Jack Canfield 2009

  • He referred to the well-worn trail to our outhouse.

    Chicken Soup for the Soul: All in the Family Jack Canfield 2009

  • Microsoft's blog post refers to a well-worn dispute between Google and book publishers in the U.S. over access to digitized books.

    Microsoft Fires Antitrust Complaint Against Google Charles Forelle 2011

  • So, okay, he must have left sometime after 1100 hours G.M.T. but before 1145 hours G.M.T., at almost exactly which time I returned to the cabin and brushed as well as I could all the particles of snow still clinging to my wool jacket and gloves and knitted ski cap, sea-green, and my blue jeans and rugged, well-worn work boots.

    Self-Destruction, Vol. 1 James Greer 2011

  • So then a man of roughly my build wearing roughly my clothes, except without well-worn work boots on his feet but standing — and this was such a curious detail several people noticed — in his socks, shoeless, and his socks were thick plaid socks of the type I have previously described as belonging to me, produced a shotgun and cut down Routledge Ruut with three precisely-aimed blasts, in the back.

    Self-Destruction, Vol. 1 James Greer 2011

  • I think a well-worn Brad Pitt or Clooney would be a fabulous fit as the lead male, who is very middle-aged, earnest, kind, and intrepid, but a newcomer as Lisbeth would be the perfect balance.

    David Fincher Directing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Next | /Film 2010

  • Warrenton, Va., decorator Barry Dixon's drawing room possesses the well-worn elegance of a Venetian palazzo.

    Rooms With a Viewpoint Charlotte Moss 2011

  • I'm sure you have sensitive infra-spectrum machines that can determine minute differences in body weight, distribution, height, hair color, number of tooth extractions, simply from the tread of a well-worn work boot.

    Self-Destruction, Vol. 1 James Greer 2011

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