Meaning & use
weathered
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Showing the effects of long exposure to sun, wind, or rain; worn or aged.
Grammar: Can be used before a noun (a weathered face) or after a linking verb (the wood is weathered).
Patterns
- weathered skin
- weathered wood
- a weathered face
The weathered old barn had stood for a hundred years.
His face was weathered from years of working outdoors.
The wooden fence looked weathered and gray.
Word forms
| comparative | more weathered |
|---|---|
| superlative | most weathered |
Common combinations
- weathered face
- The sailor had a weathered face from years at sea.
- weathered wood
- The table was made of weathered wood.
- weathered by the elements
- The rocks were weathered by the elements.
Synonyms and how they differ
- worn
- Suggests damage from use, not necessarily weather.
- aged
- More general; can refer to age without exposure to weather.
- battered
- Implies rough treatment or damage, often from blows or heavy use.
Opposites
Word family
- weather verb
- To be exposed to weather and change as a result.
- weathering noun
- The process of being worn by weather.
Commonly confused: weathered or whether?
weathered vs whether
Whether is a conjunction meaning 'if'; weathered is an adjective meaning worn by weather.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'weathered' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Weathered means showing the effects of long exposure to weather, so it describes the cottage's worn appearance. The other options misuse the word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “weathered”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.