wearing thin
Becoming less tolerable
Wearing thin describes something gradually losing substance, patience, or effectiveness through continued use or exposure.
Fabric wears thin from repeated washing; patience wears thin from repeated annoyances.
My excuse was wearing thin.
Her patience with his excuses was wearing thin.
The phrase suggests approaching a breaking point—whatever remains is barely enough.
- frayedUnraveled at edges
- hanging by a threadNearly failing or ending
- fatiguedDrained of energy
- tiredLacking energy, needing rest
- threadbareWorn until transparent
exhausted · impatience · drained · losing steam · irritation · annoyance · dilapidated · attrition · eroded · burnout · strained · frustration · on edge · tattered · staleness · past its prime · transience · impermanence
- declinedecline, in decline, decrease, downswing, on the decline
- deterioratingdecaying, decomposing, degrading, rotting, eroding
- energy statesenergy, exhaustion, fatigue, tiredness, weariness
- erosionerosion, beach erosion, river erosion, soil erosion, glacial erosion
wearing thinkeeping one's cool
Staying composed when provoked
winning over · holding up · staying strong · bearing up · hanging in there
wearing thinreinforced
Made more resistant
fortified · holding up · holding together · undiminished · robust
wear, wearing, wears, worn, wearer, wearable, unwearable, outerwear, underwear