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Wear thin

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An idiomatic phrase meaning to become less effective, interesting, or tolerable over time, suggesting gradual erosion of patience, novelty, or utility through repeated exposure.

Detailed Definition
Wear thin means to become less effective, convincing, amusing, patient, or tolerable through overuse or strain. In poetry, the idiom makes emotional endurance feel like fabric rubbed down by repeated pressure. Excuses, jokes, affection, hope, patience, or social politeness may wear thin. A poet may use it to show gradual deterioration rather than sudden rupture. The phrase is useful for exploring fatigue, repetition, and the moment when a surface once strong enough to cover feeling begins to tear.
Example
Example in poetry:
A friendship poem might say patience begins to wear thin after the tenth broken promise; In a comic poem, the teacher's smile wears thin as frogs appear in every drawer; The phrase means to become weaker, less convincing, or less patient; A poet can use it for gradual strain.
Additional Notes
Wear thin means become less convincing, effective, patient, or tolerable through repeated use or pressure. The fabric image is central: what once covered, protected, or persuaded becomes threadbare. In poetry, it can describe excuses, jokes, welcome, patience, illusions, or old rituals. Students should notice how repetition erodes strength. It pairs well with cloth, soles, carpets, voices, and relationships frayed by overuse.
Also Known As
become tiresome
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