What does outwear mean?
Outwear is a rare English verb meaning to wear out, especially to become worn through prolonged use, friction, damage, or strain. Its past form is outwore, and the corresponding past participle is outworn. The verb is usually transitive and appears in formal or literary contexts: a material or object may outwear its expected period of use, or something may be outworn by constant handling. In everyday speech, English speakers normally prefer the phrasal verb wear out, which can also be used intransitively. Outwear is easily mistaken for outerwear, a common noun denoting clothes intended for outdoor activity, but the two forms differ in both meaning and grammatical function. Although uncommon today, outwear is a valid word rather than merely a misspelling, and it can add a formal, slightly distinctive tone when describing the gradual failure of materials, clothing, or equipment.
verbTo wear out, especially through prolonged or heavy use.
- To wear out or become worn through use, damage, or prolonged wear.
"The reinforced seams eventually outwore the stress placed upon them."
"A single pair of boots cannot outwear the rough work of an entire season."
"The canvas was strong enough to outwear the repeated strain."
One small spelling difference separates an archaic verb from a modern clothing category: to outwear is to wear out, while outerwear is what you wear outside.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outwear come from?
Outwear was formed in English by combining the prefix out- with the established verb wear. Wear descends from Old English werian, meaning to wear or put on clothing. Related English forms include wear, wore, and wearable, while outwore and outworn preserve the older strong-verb inflection in the compound.
Related word forms
How outwear is actually used
This verb is rare and literary or archaic in modern English. Most speakers use the phrasal verb wear out instead. It should not be confused with the common noun outerwear.
Easily confused with outwear
Outwear is a rare verb meaning to wear out, whereas outerwear is a common noun for clothing worn outdoors.