Meaning & use
wear and tear
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The gradual damage caused to something by ordinary use over time.
Grammar: Fixed phrase, no plural, treated as singular: wear and tear is expected.
Patterns
- wear and tear on something
- normal wear and tear
The carpet showed a lot of wear and tear after ten years.
Tires suffer wear and tear on rough roads.
The landlord can't charge you for normal wear and tear.
noununcountablefigurative
The physical or mental strain that long effort or stress puts on a person.
Grammar: Used figuratively, with on: wear and tear on the body.
Patterns
- wear and tear on someone
Years of night shifts took their wear and tear on his health.
The constant arguing caused emotional wear and tear.
Common combinations
- normal wear and tear
- Normal wear and tear is not covered by the warranty.
- signs of wear and tear
- The sofa shows signs of wear and tear.
- suffer wear and tear
- Shoes suffer wear and tear every day.
- wear and tear on
- Heavy traffic causes wear and tear on roads.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deterioration
- More formal and covers any decline, not just from use.
- damage
- Broader and may be sudden rather than gradual.
- erosion
- Slow wearing away, usually by natural forces.
Practice
The rental agreement says the tenant is not responsible for normal ___ on the furniture.
Choose one answer.
Wear and tear is the fixed phrase for gradual damage from ordinary use. The other phrases are not standard expressions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wear and tear”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.