wearily
Americanadverb
-
in a way that shows physical or mental exhaustion.
Amid a rain of debris and the noise of a small avalanche, two small figures drag themselves painfully and wearily from the ruins.
-
in a way that shows impatience, dissatisfaction, or overfamiliarity.
The Staten Island Ferry is usually a scene of seasoned commuters wearily ignoring the snap-happy tourists who arrive in droves to take pictures of the Statue of Liberty.
Seasoned activists wearily explain that these youth have been at higher risk for quite some time—but thanks for noticing.
Etymology
Origin of wearily
Explanation
When you do something wearily, you do it with great exhaustion, like finishing a big project for school late at night when you're so tired that your eyes can barely stay open. Coming from the Old English word werig, meaning "exhausted," wearily shows the effort and struggle to keep going when energy is low, painting a clear picture of extreme tiredness. A traveler might walk wearily at the end of a long journey, each step feeling heavier than the last. Similarly, a student might complete their final exam wearily, their energy drained after hours of concentration.
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.
An unenlightening spectacle last week saw Porter float above the fray, wearily raising her eyebrows over the squabbling among her competitors.
From Barron's ● May 5, 2026
"He failed us. He failed his country. He hoodwinked us," Gyárfás Oláh, a former Orbán enthusiast and ex-local mayor, told me wearily.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
“I wish I had known all this earlier,” Maggie said wearily.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2025
To a sweaty and wearily hospitable young farmer, Steinmetz introduced himself and his project.
From New York Times ● Nov. 23, 2024
A single sailor, slumped in the stern, tipped his cap wearily as we sailed past.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
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.
