tire
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to reduce or exhaust the strength of, as by exertion; make weary; fatigue (often followed byout ).
The long walk tired him.
-
to exhaust the interest, patience, etc., of; make weary; bore.
Your stories tire me.
- Synonyms:
- irk, exasperate
verb (used without object)
-
to have the strength reduced or exhausted, as by labor or exertion; become fatigued; be sleepy.
-
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
noun
-
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.
-
a metal band attached to the outside of the felloes and forming the tread of a wagon wheel.
verb (used with object)
verb (used with object)
-
Archaic. to dress (the head or hair), especially with a headdress.
-
Obsolete. to attire or array.
noun
-
Archaic. a headdress.
-
Obsolete. attire or dress.
verb
-
(tr) to reduce the energy of, esp by exertion; weary
-
(tr; often passive) to reduce the tolerance of; bore or irritate
I'm tired of the children's chatter
-
(intr) to become wearied or bored; flag
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
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
Explanation
To tire is to grow weary or bored with something. As a noun, a tire is the large, rubber ring that surrounds a car's wheel. You might tire from the hard work of changing a flat tire. When you tire, you need rest, or sometimes just a break: "When I tire of working on my homework, I like to read a book or watch TV for a while." As far as etymology goes, the verb is completely unrelated to the noun. The verb comes from an Old English word meaning "to become or make weary." The wheel-covering tire, on the other hand, was originally a shortened form of attire, "clothing or apparel," from the idea that a tire is, in a sense, clothing for a naked wheel.
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.
See Examples For:
I keep mine in the trunk, under the floor where the spare tire would go.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
"Even gradual changes can affect confidence and independence, and people may notice they tire more quickly or feel less steady, especially on uneven ground."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
Ricky Bobby spends the rest of his life attempting to follow in his father’s tire tracks, working his way up to be in the big show but not a star.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
No gas station visits, no oil change, just tire rotation and a brake check.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Her arms would tire; they would feel like falling off.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
Worse than tired gags, we don’t get a sense of who these women really are in relationship to themselves or other women.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
"We have grown tired of seeing our country used as a punching bag," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Some said they did have side effects, with one feeling tired and a bit queasy "almost like nerves" when he first started but adding he felt that was worth it for the results he saw.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The crew is tired, but they continue to fire on all cylinders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Clare slept soundly through the night, and woke feeling… well, still tired.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
New Australian research is shedding light on why walking often becomes slower and more tiring with age.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
While some fast food joints have over-innovated to the point where customers see it as tiring or gimmicky, Taco Bell appears to have found the right balance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Despite all that, investors may be tiring of the AI power trade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
It is a tiring yet necessary ritual for both players and press, considering the scarcity of these matches.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
He found veering tiring, painful, and a little frightening.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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.
