weary

[ weer-ee ]

adjective

, wea·ri·er, wea·ri·est.

1. physically or mentally exhausted by hard work, exertion, strain, etc.; fatigued; tired:

   weary eyes;

   a weary brain.

   Synonyms: worn-out, spent

   Antonyms: energetic

2. characterized by or causing fatigue:

   a weary journey.

3. impatient or dissatisfied with something (often followed by of ):

   weary of excuses.

4. characterized by or causing impatience or dissatisfaction; tedious; irksome:

   a weary wait.

   Synonyms: wearisome, tiresome

   Antonyms: interesting

verb (used with or without object)

, wea·ried, wea·ry·ing.

1. to make or become weary; fatigue or tire:

   The long hours of work have wearied me.

   Synonyms: exhaust

2. to make or grow impatient or dissatisfied with something or at having too much of something (often followed by of ):

   The long drive had wearied us of desert scenery.

   We had quickly wearied at such witless entertainment.

   Synonyms: jade, irk

   Antonyms: interest

weary

/ ˈwɪərɪ /

adjective

1. tired or exhausted
2. causing fatigue or exhaustion
3. caused by or suggestive of weariness

   a weary laugh

4. postpositive; often foll by of or with discontented or bored, esp by the long continuance of something

verb

1. to make or become weary
2. to make or become discontented or impatient, esp by the long continuance of something

Derived Forms

• ˈwearily, adverb
• ˈwearying, adjective
• ˈwearyingly, adverb
• ˈweariness, noun

Other Words From

• wea·ri·ly adverb
• wea·ri·ness noun
• wea·ry·ing·ly adverb
• out·wea·ry verb (used with object) outwearied outwearying
• self-wea·ry adjective
• un·wea·ry adjective
• un·wea·ry·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of weary¹

First recorded before 900; (adjective) Middle English wery, Old English wērig; cognate with Old Saxon -wōrig; akin to Old English wōrian “to crumble, break down, totter”; (verb) Middle English werien, Old English wēr(i)gian, derivative of the adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of weary¹

Old English wērig; related to Old Saxon wōrig, Old High German wuorag drunk, Greek hōrakian to faint

Synonym Study

See tired ¹.

Example Sentences

On the one hand, people weary of struggling to set up not just one but two appointments to get the currently available double-dose vaccines may welcome one-stop shopping.

From Science News

Experts who believe that summer could be relatively normal remain cautious about the near-term as highly-transmissible variants are circulating that could cause a spring spike in cases and as pandemic-weary Americans tire of restrictions.

From Washington Post

Many consumers have felt weary by what can seem like an onslaught of services laying claim to the extra money lying around their desks every month.

From Washington Post

These simple tools can get your weary muscles back into shape quickly, so you can get back to the gym.

From Popular-Science

To curb the spread of the virus, individuals must continue to practice social distancing and masking, even if many have long since grown weary of altering their lives to protect themselves and their communities.

From Time

But the man appears so weary that I decide to skip the dull stuff and get to the heat.

From The Daily Beast

Dehydrated and feeling weary, Marino lay down beside another migrant under a tree and fell asleep.

From The Daily Beast

Gays observe hetero-excitement over the lumbersexual with a weary eyeroll.

From The Daily Beast

Or, worse, they are contrived to sound tired, perhaps in an attempt to come off as world-weary.

From The Daily Beast

But peering more closely at the photograph, taken this August, his weary brown eyes reveal a darker truth.

From The Daily Beast

As small letters weary the eye most, so also the smallest affairs disturb us most.

From Project Gutenberg

Malcolm had selected it as a training-ground that evening, because he meant to weary and subdue his too highly spirited charger.

From Project Gutenberg

When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.

From Project Gutenberg

A flock of weary sheep pattered along the road, barnward bound, heavy eyed and bleating softly.

From Project Gutenberg

The crest-fallen astronomer plodded on his weary way, another example of a fool and his money soon parted.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bored
• disgusted
• exhausted
• fatigued
• impatient
• jaded
• overworked
• sleepy