fatigue

[ fuh-teeg ]

/ fəˈtig /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fatigue ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

weariness from bodily or mental exertion.

a cause of weariness; slow ordeal; exertion: the fatigue of driving for many hours.

Physiology. temporary diminution of the irritability or functioning of organs, tissues, or cells after excessive exertion or stimulation.

Civil Engineering. the weakening or breakdown of material subjected to stress, especially a repeated series of stresses.

Also called fatigue duty. Military.

labor of a generally nonmilitary kind done by soldiers, such as cleaning up an area, digging drainage ditches, or raking leaves.
the state of being engaged in such labor: on fatigue.

fatigues, Military. fatigue clothes.

adjective

of or relating to fatigues or any clothing made to resemble them: The guerrilla band wore fatigue pants and field jackets. She brought fatigue shorts to wear on the hike.

verb (used with object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

to weary with bodily or mental exertion; exhaust the strength of: Endless chatter fatigues me.

Civil Engineering. to subject (a material) to fatigue.

verb (used without object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

to become fatigued.

Civil Engineering. (of a material) to undergo fatigue.

Nearby words

fathomable, fathometer, fathomless, fatidic, fatigable, fatigue, fatigue clothes, fatigue fracture, fatigue life, fatigue limit, fatigue ratio

Origin of fatigue

1685–95; < French fatigue (noun), fatiguer (v.) < Latin fatīgāre to tire

SYNONYMS FOR fatigue

8 tire, debilitate, enervate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fatigue ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsfa·tigue·less, adjectivefa·ti·guing·ly, adverban·ti·fa·tigue, adjectiveun·fa·ti·guing, adjective

Definition for fatigue (2 of 2)

fatigue clothes

plural noun

a soldier's uniform for fatigue duty.

Origin of fatigue clothes

First recorded in 1830–40

Also called fatigues.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for fatigue

Fatigue, sadness, or psychosis is not about choice or laziness or selfishness.
Postpartum Stigma: Why My Patient Committed Suicide|Jean Kim|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With the Pentagon concerned about fatigue and morale, a lost piece of valuable property is the last thing these families need.
American G.I.s: Dude, Where’s My Car?|Tim Mak|July 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fatigue feels heavy, like I am trudging through life with a 300-pound man on my back.
YouTube’s Sleep Whisperers Are A Sexy Way To Combat Insomnia|Lizzie Crocker|May 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There's debate about whether it's a true addiction, but it's definitely bad moods, anxiety, fatigue.
Weed Gave My Family Everything—Then Took It Away|Abby Haglage|April 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He showed no signs of haste, nor of fatigue, nor of any human feeling.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His arms were growing heavy with fatigue, his mouth was parched, and great beads of perspiration stood upon his brow.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
"You must not fatigue him," he said to Julien, who understood that he was the nephew.
The Red and the Black|Stendhal
She took no heed of her flimsy, incongruous dress, her fatigue, her need of sleep.
The False Chevalier|William Douw Lighthall
The trace of anger was gone from Krafft's voice now and it was heavy with fatigue and defeat.
Sense of Obligation|Henry Maxwell Dempsey (AKA Harry Harrison)
The attorney was in that state of fatigue of body and languor of mind in which the least trifle amuses.
The Castle Inn|Stanley John Weyman

British Dictionary definitions for fatigue

fatigue

/ (fəˈtiːɡ) /

noun

physical or mental exhaustion due to exertion

a tiring activity or effort

physiol the temporary inability of an organ or part to respond to a stimulus because of overactivity

the progressive cracking of a material subjected to alternating stresses, esp vibrations

the temporary inability to respond to a situation or perform a function, because of overexposure or overactivitycompassion fatigue

any of the mainly domestic duties performed by military personnel, esp as a punishment
(as modifier)fatigue duties

(plural) special clothing worn by military personnel to carry out such duties

verb -tigues, -tiguing or -tigued

to make or become weary or exhausted

to crack or break (a material or part) by inducing fluctuating stresses in it, or (of a metal or part) to become weakened or fail as a result of fluctuating stresses

Derived Formsfatigable (ˈfætɪɡəbəl), adjectivefatigueless, adjective

Word Origin for fatigue

C17: from French, from fatiguer to tire, from Latin fatīgāre

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fatigue (1 of 2)

fatigue

1660s, "that which causes weariness," from French fatigue "weariness," from fatiguer "to tire," from Latin fatigare, originally "to cause to break down," later, "to weary, fatigue, tire out," from pre-Latin adj. *fati-agos "driving to the point of breakdown," from Old Latin *fatis (of unknown origin, related to adv. affatim "sufficiently" and to fatisci "crack, split") + root of agere "to drive" (see act (n.)). Meaning "weariness from exertion" is from 1719.

Word Origin and History for fatigue (1 of 2)

fatigue

1690s, from French fatiguer (15c.), from fatigue (see fatigue (n.). Earlier in same sense was fatigate (1530s). Related: Fatigued; fatiguing.

Medicine definitions for fatigue

fatigue

[ fə-tēg′ ]

n.

Physical or mental weariness resulting from exertion.

A sensation of boredom and lassitude due to absence of stimulation, to monotony, or to lack of interest in one's surroundings.

The decreased capacity or complete inability of an organism, organ, or part to function normally because of excessive stimulation or prolonged exertion.

fatigue

noun

adjective

verb (used with object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

verb (used without object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of fatigue

Definition for fatigue (2 of 2)

fatigue clothes

plural noun

Origin of fatigue clothes

Examples from the Web for fatigue

British Dictionary definitions for fatigue

fatigue

noun

verb -tigues, -tiguing or -tigued

Word Origin for fatigue

Word Origin and History for fatigue (1 of 2)

fatigue

Word Origin and History for fatigue (1 of 2)

fatigue

Medicine definitions for fatigue

fatigue

n.