weary

American  

[weer-ee] / ˈwɪər i /

adjective

wearier, weariest

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 byof ).

   weary of excuses.

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

   a weary wait.

   Synonyms:

   wearisome, tiresome

   Antonyms:

   interesting

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verb (used with or without object)

wearied, wearying

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 byof ).

   The long drive had wearied us of desert scenery.

   We had quickly wearied at such witless entertainment.

   Synonyms:

   jade, irk

   Antonyms:

   interest

weary British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to make or become weary

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

Related Words

See tired ¹.

Other Word Forms

• outweary verb (used with object)
• self-weary adjective
• unweary adjective
• unwearying adjective
• wearily adverb
• weariness noun
• wearying adjective
• wearyingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of weary

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

Example Sentences

Rea's 1980s smash Driving Home for Christmas tells the story of a weary traveller making his way home in heavy traffic.

From BBC

Today the dictionary disputes seem to have largely fizzled out, the pitched battles over lexicography having succumbed to a weary war of consumerist attrition.

From The Wall Street Journal

Remarkably, Cal-Maine achieved these results during a time of volatile egg prices, continued vulnerability of flocks to the highly pathogenic avian influenza External link, and a weary consumer.

From Barron's

Investors weary of Meta’s turmoil but still keen on tech stocks might consider two alternatives with far more bullish technical indicators.

From Barron's

On Monday, a weary Baltimore coach John Harbaugh asked the league to clarify its catch rule.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• annoy
• bore
• depress
• dishearten
• exasperate
• exhaust
• fade
• irk
• tire