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Synonyms

tire

1 American  
[tahyuhr] / taɪər /

verb (used with object)

tired, tiring
  1. to reduce or exhaust the strength of, as by exertion; make weary; fatigue (often followed byout ).

    The long walk tired him.

  2. to exhaust the interest, patience, etc., of; make weary; bore.

    Your stories tire me.

    Synonyms:
    irk, exasperate

verb (used without object)

tired, tiring
  1. to have the strength reduced or exhausted, as by labor or exertion; become fatigued; be sleepy.

  2. to have one's appreciation, interest, patience, etc., exhausted; become or be weary; become bored (usually followed byof ).

    He soon tired of playing billiards.

noun

  1. British Dialect. fatigue.

tire 2 American  
[tahyuhr] / taɪər /
British, tyre

noun

  1. a ring or band of rubber, either solid or hollow and inflated, or of metal, placed over the rim of a wheel to provide traction, resistance to wear, or other desirable properties.

  2. a metal band attached to the outside of the felloes and forming the tread of a wagon wheel.


verb (used with object)

tired, tiring
  1. to furnish with tires.

tire 3 American  
[tahyuhr] / taɪər /

verb (used with object)

tired, tiring
  1. Archaic. to dress (the head or hair), especially with a headdress.

  2. Obsolete. to attire or array.


noun

  1. Archaic. a headdress.

  2. Obsolete. attire or dress.

tire 1 British  
/ ˈtaɪə /

verb

  1. (tr) to reduce the energy of, esp by exertion; weary

  2. (tr; often passive) to reduce the tolerance of; bore or irritate

    I'm tired of the children's chatter

  3. (intr) to become wearied or bored; flag

"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

tire 2 British  
/ ˈtaɪə /

noun

  1. the US spelling of tyre

"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

tire 3 British  
/ ˈtaɪə /

verb

  1. an archaic word for attire

"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

Other Word Forms

  • tiring adjective

Etymology

Origin of tire1

First recorded before 900; Middle English tire(n), teoren “to diminish, weaken,” Old English tȳrian, tēorian “to faint, cause to faint”; further etymology uncertain

Origin of tire2

First recorded in 1475–85; special use of tire 3 (in the sense “dress, attire, accouterment (for a wheel”)

Origin of tire3

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tire(n), teren “to clothe, dress, equip (a knight) for battle”; shortening of attire

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.

Nesbitt, overheated, paranoid, jealous — it can become as tiring to the viewer as it is to the people around him — will get many things wrong before anyone sets him right.

From Los Angeles Times

After she was able to start eating again, it still took a full two weeks to recover as she continued to feel extremely tired, suffer from brain fog, and experience bad headaches.

From Salon

These shifts make it harder for teens to fall asleep early, even when they are tired.

From Science Daily

Even before Elon Musk gutted X’s content moderation, James Bailey was tired of the shouting.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ten years later, he was tiring of breaking news assignments and stashed away his “TV News cosplay gear” to ring in 2025.

From Los Angeles Times