What does outwore mean?
Outwore is the past tense of outwear, meaning to wear something out through use or, more often, to last longer than another person, object, or competitor. The verb can describe the physical durability of clothing, footwear, or equipment, as in a pair of boots that outwore its owner. Figuratively, it describes superior endurance or staying power: a brand might outwear its rivals, or a performer might outwear a demanding schedule. The word has a somewhat literary and traditional feel and is less common than the related outlast, though it conveys the idea of enduring or lasting through use. Its past participle, outworn, is also used to describe something worn out, and its base form outwear remains the standard infinitive.
verbTo wear out or consume through continued use, especially clothing or footwear. In figurative use, it means to last or remain effective longer than someone or something else.
- To wear out through use
- To last or remain in use longer than something else
"The new boots outwore the old pair despite being worn every day."
"His oldest pair of hiking boots outwore every newer pair he bought."
"The company outwore its competitors during a decade of strong sales."
Outwore is the past tense of outwear: a word for something that has lasted longer than expected, whether shoes, clothing, or a champion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outwore come from?
Outwore is formed from the prefix out- and the verb wear, following the ordinary English pattern for a verb whose past tense and past participle end in -ore. The underlying word wear is Old English werian, meaning to clothe or wear, and is related to words such as wearable and wearer. The sense of lasting longer than something else developed naturally from the older physical sense of wearing out through continued use.
Related word forms
How outwore is actually used
The word is relatively uncommon in modern English and has a slightly literary or traditional tone. It is usually used in the past tense or past participle, while the base form outwear is more readily recognized.