tired
1 Americanadjective
-
exhausted, as by exertion; fatigued or sleepy.
They provided water to a tired runner.
- Synonyms:
- enervated
- Antonyms:
- energetic
-
weary or bored (usually followed byof ).
I'm tired of eating the same food every day.
-
hackneyed; stale, as a joke, phrase, or sermon.
The standup comedian's tired old gags got no laughs.
-
Informal. impatient or disgusted.
You make me tired.
adjective
adjective
-
weary; fatigued
-
(foll by of)
-
having lost interest in; bored
I'm tired of playing cards
-
having lost patience with; exasperated by
I'm tired of his eternal excuses
-
-
hackneyed; stale
the same tired old jokes
-
euphemistic slightly drunk
Synonym Usage
Tired, exhausted, fatigued, wearied, weary suggest a condition in which a large part of one's energy and vitality has been consumed. One who is tired has used up a considerable part of their bodily or mental resources: to feel tired at the end of the day. One who is exhausted is completely drained of energy and vitality, usually because of arduous or long-sustained effort: The horse was left exhausted after a hard run. One who is fatigued has consumed energy to a point where rest and sleep are demanded: A good workout can leave you feeling rather pleasantly fatigued. One who is wearied has been under protracted exertion or strain that has gradually worn out their strength: The sentry sat down, wearied by a long vigil. Weary suggests a more permanent condition than wearied: The family is weary of struggling against misfortunes.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tired1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English tyred; see origin at tire 1; see also -ed 2 ( def. )
Origin of tired2
Explanation
If you're tired, you should get some rest. If you're tired of being tired, you might need to eat better and exercise more. If you're tired of being told what to do, you should stop asking for advice. Tired can also mean that something is old news, or worn out to the point where people don't want to hear it anymore. Although you still find them funny, your co-workers think your impressions of your favorite cartoon characters are pretty tired.
Vocabulary lists containing tired
Units 2–3
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"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, Chapters 1–3
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The crew is tired, but they continue to fire on all cylinders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Importantly, never exercise on unstable surfaces when you’re tired.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
"I have just come from firing someone. We are tired of stories about economic progress," he told Reuters.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
“I never get tired of this,” Chandler told me.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
“Everyone is sleeping after the wedding. They’re too tired to fish.”
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
