tire
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to reduce or exhaust the strength of, as by exertion; make weary; fatigue (often followed byout ).
The long walk tired him.
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to exhaust the interest, patience, etc., of; make weary; bore.
Your stories tire me.
- Synonyms:
- irk, exasperate
verb (used without object)
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to have the strength reduced or exhausted, as by labor or exertion; become fatigued; be sleepy.
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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
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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)
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Archaic. to dress (the head or hair), especially with a headdress.
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Obsolete. to attire or array.
noun
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Archaic. a headdress.
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Obsolete. attire or dress.
verb
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(tr) to reduce the energy of, esp by exertion; weary
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(tr; often passive) to reduce the tolerance of; bore or irritate
I'm tired of the children's chatter
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(intr) to become wearied or bored; flag
noun
verb
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.
German tire maker Continental CON -4.73%decrease; red down pointing triangle expects earnings to increase this year despite continuing challenges from tariffs and currency headwinds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
Handhelds are having a moment as consumers tire of so-called slop bowls, a term jokingly used to describe customizable grain-and-salad meals that have become staples of the corporate office lunch.
From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026
“And as a single mom, I needed to learn how to rotate a tire or do an oil change on my own.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026
"Give them something to sing about," urged his father and trainer Sean O'Hagan, predicting Wood would tire.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
And this was an especially good flat tire, because there were seven kids in the car-pool station wagon, and four of them started to cry—not Sam, of course.
From "All About Sam" 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.
