Wear off means to fade gradually: a feeling, an impression or the effect of a medicine. The novelty wore off means it stopped feeling new. The painkiller is wearing off means it's starting to stop working. It's the word for anything that was strong at first and slowly weakens.
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a feeling / an effect wears off; wore off; has worn off
- The excitement wore off once the routine became familiar.
- The novelty of the new office is beginning to wear off.
- By the afternoon, the initial shock had worn off.
What changed
First versionThe novelty has wore off.
RevisionThe novelty has worn off.
Wear is an irregular verb: wear, wore, worn. After has you need the third form: has worn off. Wore is only the simple past: the excitement wore off.
Wear out means damage something by using it, or exhaust a person: my shoes wore out, the trip wore me out. Wear off is about a feeling or effect fading: the coffee wore off.
Your turn
Choose the form after has: The initial excitement has ___ off.
Show the answer
worn — After has you need the participle worn. Wore is the simple past and doesn't go after has.
Describe a feeling of novelty or a strong impression that faded over time.
The novelty of commuting by boat wore off during the first week of rain.
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