outworn

1 of 2

adjective

out·​worn ˌau̇t-ˈwȯrn How to pronounce outworn (audio)
Synonyms of outwornnext
: no longer useful or acceptable : outmoded
an outworn social system

outworn

2 of 2

past participle of outwear

Synonyms of outworn

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Adjective

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Examples of outworn in a Sentence

Adjective an outworn set of beliefs outworn clothes with holes in them
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Setting recent works among older ones is an effective element of LACMA’s overall plan to shed outworn hierarchies. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Perhaps that’s the legacy of outworn stereotypes about corruption or a lack of the type of political will that’s brought more rapid changes to corporate governance and sustainable investing standards in, for example, some Nordic countries. — Cassie Werber, Quartz, 7 June 2022 So, the high temperature of 62 seemed an obvious anachronism, an outdated and outworn remnant of earlier times. — Washington Post, 9 May 2021 Now, two decades into a new century, the magazine remains, if anything, more committed than ever to its first principles—and most of all, to the need to rethink outworn assumptions and political superstitions as radically changing conditions demand. — Press Release, The New Republic, 26 Mar. 2021 This was not a forgone conclusion at the time; indeed, during the 1930s, democracy was widely viewed as an outworn political form. — Taeku Lee, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2013

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1522, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outworn was circa 1522

Rhymes for outworn

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Browse Nearby Words

outworld
outworn
outwrestle
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Cite this Entry

“Outworn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outworn. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

outworn

adjective
out·​worn au̇t-ˈwō(ə)rn How to pronounce outworn (audio)
-ˈwȯ(ə)rn
: worn-out sense 1, out-of-date
an outworn system
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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