wearisome
Americanadjective
-
causing weariness; fatiguing.
a difficult and wearisome march.
-
tiresome or tedious.
a wearisome person; a wearisome book.
- Antonyms:
- interesting
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wearisome
First recorded in 1400–50, wearisome is from the late Middle English word werysom. See weary, -some 1
Explanation
Anything that's boring, tedious, or so dull that it puts you to sleep can be described as wearisome. Long bus rides and long classroom lectures can both be wearisome. The adjective wearisome is good for describing things that seem to last forever, that require repetition, or that are otherwise both boring and mentally exhausting. Always being told "Be careful!" by your parents can be wearisome, and typing data into a computer all day is also wearisome. The original, fifteenth century meaning of wearisome was "weary" or "tired," but it quickly came to mean "making one weary," from the Old English root werig, "tired."
Vocabulary lists containing wearisome
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Stories of Ourselves
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"Wearisome repetition," they say, or at best, "an interesting restatement."
From Time Magazine Archive
Wearisome hours remain for details to be worked out, and the bothersome issue of deciding common prices for wheat was shelved until after the German elections two years hence.
From Time Magazine Archive
Wearisome as Burke's refinements appeared to his parliamentary auditors, yet the cultivated classes throughout Europe have reason to be thankful, that he ———went on refining, And thought of convincing, while they thought of dining.
From Biographia Literaria by Coleridge, Samuel Taylor
Albert read from the Silent Comforter the piece called "Wearisome Nights," which is an exact expression of my state and feelings.
From The Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss by Prentiss, George L.
Wearisome negotiations then began with men who should furnish means for the removal.
From Ten Great Events in History by Johonnot, James
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.
