worn

worn — verb

1. The form of the verb 'wear' that follows 'have', 'has', or 'had' to talk about c

1.verbA2
Definition

The form of the verb 'wear' that follows 'have', 'has', or 'had' to talk about completed past actions, or follows 'be' for the passive voice. It is never used alone as the main verb of a sentence.

Example

Lara has worn her grandmother's silver bracelet every day since she turned sixteen.

present perfect: has + worn

The stone staircase in the old castle had been worn smooth by centuries of footsteps.

past perfect passive: had been + worn

Common collocations
  • has worn
  • had worn
  • was worn
  • have been worn
  • worn by

Grammar Patterns

have/has + worn

had + worn

be + worn

Usage Note

The simple past of 'wear' is 'wore', not 'worn'. Use 'worn' only with an auxiliary verb. Common pattern: have/worn in present perfect (action up to now), had/worn in past perfect (action before another past event), be/worn in passive (focus on the object, not the person wearing it).

Common Mistakes

I worn my new shoes yesterday.
I wore my new shoes yesterday.
'worn' needs an auxiliary (have/had/be); use 'wore' for simple past. ❌ 'She has wore that jacket for years.' ✅ 'She has worn that jacket for years.' — after 'has', you must use the past participle 'worn', not the past tense 'wore'.

worn — adjective

Word family

  • wear
    verbA1
  • wearing
    adjectiveA2
  • wearable
    adjectiveB2
  • weariness
    nounB2
  • weary
    adjectiveB2
  • wearisome
    adjectiveC1
  • worn-out
    adjectiveB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

"Worn" is the most general term for damage caused by use — it applies to paths, clothing, tools, and furniture, and covers everything from light wear to heavy damage. "Threadbare" is more specific: it describes fabric that has become so thin from use that individual threads are visible or light passes through. "Shabby" emphasises a scruffy, neglected appearance rather than just use-damage — a shabby coat may be perfectly intact but look unfashionable or uncared for. "Well-worn" is neutral or slightly positive, suggesting something is comfortably broken-in and reliable, like a well-worn hiking boot or a well-worn recipe book. For example: a worn carpet might look faded and thin in places; a threadbare carpet shows the backing fabric. If the whole room feels neglected, the carpet is shabby. If it has held up well through years of use, it is well-worn.

worn ↗threadbareshabbywell-worn

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • well-worn
  • badly worn
  • slightly worn
  • visibly worn

Phrases

  • worn and torn
  • worn smooth
  • worn thin
  • worn down

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

The word 'worn' comes from Old English 'woren', the past participle of 'werian' (meaning 'to wear clothing'). This Germanic root is related to Old Norse 'verja' (to clothe, to cover) and Gothic 'wasjan' (to dress). Over time, the meaning of 'wear' broadened from covering the body with clothes to gradually damaging a surface through use — and the past participle 'worn' developed into an adjective describing both the physical state of used objects and the exhausted appearance of a person who has been 'worn down' by life.