indefatigable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- indefatigability noun
- indefatigableness noun
- indefatigably adverb
Etymology
Origin of indefatigable
1580–90; < Latin indēfatīgābilis untiring, equivalent to in- in- 3 + dēfatīgā ( re ) to tire out ( de-, fatigue ) + -bilis -ble
Explanation
Someone who is indefatigable can go on for a very long time without becoming tired. You might not be so happy to have an indefatigable guide on your walking trip––you'll have blisters, but she'll see no reason not to keep going. Indefatigable comes from Latin indefatigabilis, formed from the prefix in- "not" plus defatigare "to tire out." Here the prefix de- means "entirely." You can remember the root fatigare because it sounds so much like the English fatigue.
Vocabulary lists containing indefatigable
Animal Farm
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The Scarlet Letter
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The Haunting of Hill House
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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.
But an indefatigable Volkanovski's agility and relentless striking eventually wore down his flagging challenger, who was unable to land a knockout in the final round.
From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026
Xenarios, who died of cancer on Sept. 6 at home in New York at age 79, was the indefatigable soul of the organization, leading it for 40 years until her retirement in 2017.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025
They deserve our support, as do a slew of writers, such as the indefatigable Heather Cox Richardson and Ruth Ben-Ghiat, who publish via Substack.
From Salon • Jul. 5, 2025
Being part of the show "wasn't even on my bucket list of dreams," she adds, "because it was an indefatigable dream to even consider because it was impossible."
From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025
Ernest’s new cause revived his old indefatigable self.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
