well-worn

adjective

ˈwel-ˈwȯrn How to pronounce well-worn (audio)
Synonyms of well-wornnext
1
a
: made trite by overuse : hackneyed
a well-worn quotation
b
: having been much used or worn
well-worn shoes
2
archaic : worn well or properly

Synonyms

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Examples of well-worn in a Sentence

people at the funeral offered the grieving family well-worn platitudes and expressions of sympathy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The New York subway system was one of Keith Haring’s most beloved and well-worn canvases. — Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024 The we’re-never-going-to-play-together-again-to-lucrative-reunion trail is well-worn at this point — just ask such famously feuding acts as the Eagles, Guns ‘N Roses, Pixies and, most recently and famously, Oasis: If there’s a windfall, there’s a way. — Jeff Miller, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of well-worn was in 1577

Browse Nearby Words

well-wisher
well-worn
welp
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Cite this Entry

“Well-worn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/well-worn. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

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