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knackered

American  
[nak-erd] / ˈnæk ərd /

adjective

British Slang.

  1. exhausted; very tired.

    He is really knackered after work.
knackered British  
/ ˈnækəd /

adjective

  1. exhausted; tired out

  2. worn out; no longer working, esp after long or hard use

"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

Usage

What does knackered mean? Knackered is a British slang word that means exhausted or worn out. Knackered is very informal and is primarily used in the U. K. Example: You can tell the players are a bit knackered after all the extra time in this match.

Etymology

Origin of knackered

First recorded in 1885–90; knacker “to tire” (attenuation of earlier sense “to kill”; cf. knacker ( def. 1 )) + -ed 2

Vocabulary lists containing knackered

The House Swap

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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.

"I'm doing alright - I thought I'd be knackered from the jetlag but it's not been too bad," Mr Hargreaves told BBC Breakfast.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

Stokes didn't turn over his arm on Friday with assistant coach Jeetan Patel saying he was "knackered" after a stoic 83 with the bat.

From Barron's • Dec. 20, 2025

Stokes didn't turn his arm on Friday with assistant coach Jeetan Patel saying he was "knackered" after a stoic 83 with the bat.

From Barron's • Dec. 20, 2025

The support must be knackered, but for us neutrals, it's been exhilarating to watch their exploits this season.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2024

“He’s knackered is what he is,” he said.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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.