Meaning & use
no wear and tear
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
showing no damage or deterioration from normal use over time.
Grammar: Used after verbs like show, have, or with there is to describe a thing's condition; not used to describe people.
Patterns
- show no wear and tear
- have no wear and tear
- there is no wear and tear on something
The car is ten years old, but it shows no wear and tear.
Despite daily use, the sofa has no wear and tear on the fabric.
There is no wear and tear on the machine's moving parts.
Common combinations
- show no wear and tear
- The hiking boots show no wear and tear after many trips.
- no wear and tear on something
- There is no wear and tear on the tires yet.
- with no wear and tear
- The tool works perfectly with no wear and tear.
Synonyms and how they differ
- undamaged
- Undamaged means not harmed at all, while no wear and tear focuses on the absence of gradual damage from use.
- like new
- Like new describes something that looks as good as when it was bought; no wear and tear is more neutral and factual.
Opposites
Commonly confused: no wear and tear or wear and tear?
no wear and tear vs wear and tear
Without 'no', wear and tear means damage that happens naturally over time. 'No wear and tear' means the opposite: none of that damage is present.
Practice
The old bicycle is in excellent condition and shows ______ wear and tear.
Choose one answer.
'No' correctly makes the phrase negative and means zero wear and tear. 'Not' would need a verb, 'none' is a pronoun and cannot come before a noun, and 'any' would change the meaning to a question or negative context but does not fit this positive statement.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “no wear and tear”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.