knackered

American

[nak-erd] / ˈnæk ərd /

adjective

British Slang.

exhausted; very tired.

He is really knackered after work.

knackered British

/ ˈnækəd /

adjective

exhausted; tired out
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

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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.

"Knackered? Is that the right word? I think that's the first time I've used it in a sentence."

From BBC • May 4, 2019

As he reported, Botham gave a single-word press conference at the end of it: "Knackered!"

From The Guardian • Jan. 25, 2013

Knackered and out of shape after a two-week cruise, Italy immediately lost their first game against Sweden, a result which effectively put them out at the very first hurdle.

From The Guardian • Jun. 24, 2010

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023