Meaning & use

wear off

verb·Everyday

To gradually fade, diminish, or disappear over time, especially an effect or feeling.

See it in a sentence

The painkiller's effect will wear off after about four hours.

Her initial excitement about the new job began to wear off after a few weeks.

A note on using this word

Wear off usually describes something intangible, like a feeling or effect, rather than a physical object wearing away.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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