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• haggard
  haggard

  adjective

  having a gaunt, wasted, or exhausted appearance, as from prolonged suffering, exertion, or anxiety; worn.
• Haggard
  Haggard

  noun

  (Sir) H(enry) Rider, 1856–1925, English novelist.

haggard

¹ American  

[hag-erd] / ˈhæg ərd /

adjective

1. having a gaunt, wasted, or exhausted appearance, as from prolonged suffering, exertion, or anxiety; worn.

   the haggard faces of the tired troops.

   Synonyms:

   hollow-eyed, drawn, emaciated

   Antonyms:

   robust

2. Archaic. wild; wild-looking.

   haggard eyes.

3. Falconry. (especially of a hawk caught after it has attained adult plumage) untamed.

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noun

1. Falconry. a wild or untamed hawk caught after it has assumed adult plumage.

Haggard ² American  

[hag-erd] / ˈhæg ərd /

noun

1. (Sir) H(enry) Rider, 1856–1925, English novelist.

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haggard ¹ British  

/ ˈhæɡəd /

adjective

1. careworn or gaunt, as from lack of sleep, anxiety, or starvation

2. wild or unruly

3. (of a hawk) having reached maturity in the wild before being caught

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noun

1. falconry a hawk that has reached maturity before being caught Compare eyas passage hawk

Haggard ² British  

/ ˈhæɡəd /

noun

1. Sir ( Henry ) Rider . 1856–1925, British author of romantic adventure stories, including King Solomon's Mines (1885)

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haggard ³ British  

/ ˈhæɡərd /

noun

1. (in Ireland and the Isle of Man) an enclosure beside a farmhouse in which crops are stored

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Other Word Forms

• haggardness
  noun
• haggardly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of haggard

First recorded in 1560–70; originally, “wild female hawk”; see hag ¹, -ard

Explanation

Someone who is haggard looks exhausted and worn out, exactly how you'd expect someone who's been lost at sea for days to look. A haggard appearance is usually the result of a long, harrowing ordeal, like getting lost in the woods or being stranded in the woods for days. An emotional ordeal, like losing a loved one, can also give someone a haggard appearance if they forget to eat, sleep, and take care of themselves. Whatever the ordeal, it will make the person look absolutely awful — pale, gaunt, disheveled, exhausted with dark circles under their eyes and wild, unruly hair.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

haggard Haggard

At the end of the film, Matt Damon’s haggard Odysseus sails toward the unknown, accepting that he doesn’t deserve the comfort of a king.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

But in 2024, the South American country produced only about one percent of the world's total crude output, said OPEC, its industry left haggard by years of underinvestment, mismanagement and US sanctions.

From Barron's ● Feb. 11, 2026

It would not have been my first choice for something to discard—I’d have nominated the haggard horse face that stares back at me daily when I shave—but nobody asked me.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025

"I did the one pair of wheels - I will say they're absolutely haggard," he laughed.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025

He was a lean, starved, haggard thing, all bones and tight-drawn sallow skin.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Haggard waffled over the years on whether the anti-hippie hardliner anthem was a satire of the crew cut set or a genuine tribute to his conservative father.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

“This is an incredible accomplishment for a country that is this poor,” said Haggard, noting that Kim benefited from some luck, too.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

Among his favourites were the works John Buchan and H Rider Haggard, but Forsyth adored Ernest Hemingway's book on bullfighters, Death in the Afternoon.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2025

Judge H. Patrick Haggard said he’s hoping for a trial in the fall.

From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2024

He returned, saying that his father would drive over to the cottage and see if Laurens had returned and if not he would see Haggard and have a regular search instituted.

From The Independence Day Horror at Killsbury by Asenath Carver Coolidge