having a gaunt, wasted, or exhausted appearance, as from prolonged suffering, exertion, or anxiety; worn.
the haggard faces of the tired troops.
Archaic. wild; wild-looking.
haggard eyes.
Falconry. (especially of a hawk caught after it has attained adult plumage) untamed.
careworn or gaunt, as from lack of sleep, anxiety, or starvation
wild or unruly
(of a hawk) having reached maturity in the wild before being caught
First recorded in 1560–70; originally, “wild female hawk”; see hag 1, -ard
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.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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, Venezuela produced only about one percent of global crude, its industry left haggard by years of underinvestment, mismanagement and US sanctions.
From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 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
I let my hands travel up the frigid railing of the hospital bed towards my father’s face, which when my fingertips grazed it felt as prickly and haggard as it looked and just as dead.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
“We have DJs who play everything from Dwight Yoakam to Bruce Springsteen and Merle Haggard to Chappell Roan,” said Chase Manhattan, regional director of entertainment at Desert 5 Spot.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025
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
In addition to those mentioned above, co-authors include Christopher O'Dea, University of Manitoba, and Daryl Haggard, McGill University.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 21, 2024
He let this appear once when he said how he should feel our departure, and how sorry he should be when he should also lose the companionship of Haggard.
From Fifty-One Years of Victorian Life by Child-Villiers, Margaret Elizabeth Leigh
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.
