Multidimensional nanoadditives in tribology

•Low friction and high wear-resistant help the wear-critical applications.•Multidimensional nanoadditives help transformation of test to application.•Nanoadditives in solid/liquid lubrication systems are well reviewed.•Challenge and recommendation on engineering-scale application are discussed. Achieving low friction and high wear-resistant has been regarded as the most concerned topics in the scientific progress of nano-tribo materials, that attained significant attentions for reducing energy expenditure and optimizing wear-critical applications. Despite numerous research activities on nano-additives for tribological optimizations, subdividing them from 0D to 3D nanostructures for the transformation of experiment achievements to industrial-scale applications remains rarely explored. Therefore, a comprehensive review of up-to-date survey in nanoadditives for realizing low friction and wear, or even superlubric state in the solid/liquid lubrication systems from the nanoscale to the macroscale is presented. Finally, this review is concluded by providing future outlooks on key challenges and valuable recommendations for a myriad of existing and future engineering-scale applications.