tired

¹ American  

[tahy^uhrd] / taɪərd /

adjective

1. exhausted, as by exertion; fatigued or sleepy.

   They provided water to a tired runner.

   Synonyms:

   enervated

   Antonyms:

   energetic

2. weary or bored (usually followed byof ).

   I'm tired of eating the same food every day.

3. hackneyed; stale, as a joke, phrase, or sermon.

   The standup comedian's tired old gags got no laughs.

4. Informal. impatient or disgusted.

   You make me tired.

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tired ² American  

[tahy^uhrd] / taɪərd /

adjective

1. having a tire or tires.

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tired British  

/ ˈtaɪəd /

adjective

1. weary; fatigued

2. (foll by of)

   1. having lost interest in; bored

      I'm tired of playing cards

   2. having lost patience with; exasperated by

      I'm tired of his eternal excuses

3. hackneyed; stale

   the same tired old jokes

4. euphemistic slightly drunk

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tired Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing tired

• dead on one's feet (tired)
• sick and tired

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Related Words

Tired, exhausted, fatigued, wearied, weary suggest a condition in which a large part of one's energy and vitality has been consumed. One who is tired has used up a considerable part of their bodily or mental resources: to feel tired at the end of the day. One who is exhausted is completely drained of energy and vitality, usually because of arduous or long-sustained effort: The horse was left exhausted after a hard run. One who is fatigued has consumed energy to a point where rest and sleep are demanded: A good workout can leave you feeling rather pleasantly fatigued. One who is wearied has been under protracted exertion or strain that has gradually worn out their strength: The sentry sat down, wearied by a long vigil. Weary suggests a more permanent condition than wearied: The family is weary of struggling against misfortunes.

Other Word Forms

• tiredly adverb
• tiredness noun

Etymology

Origin of tired¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English tyred; tire ¹; -ed ² ( def. )

Origin of tired²

First recorded in 1890–95; tire ² + -ed ³

Explanation

If you're tired, you should get some rest. If you're tired of being tired, you might need to eat better and exercise more. If you're tired of being told what to do, you should stop asking for advice. Tired can also mean that something is old news, or worn out to the point where people don't want to hear it anymore. Although you still find them funny, your co-workers think your impressions of your favorite cartoon characters are pretty tired.

Example Sentences

But I get the sense that we are all tired of living this way.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

I told him, ‘I think you’re just tired of murdering people on ‘Breaking Bad.’

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Maybe one could surmise that people have gotten tired of heated discourse, that they’re bored by arguing.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

"He never tired of talking about the group's history and its desire to spread 'peace, love and harmony' everywhere people had ears to listen."

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

I was so very tired of this conversation.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• annoyed
• bored
• distressed
• drained
• exasperated
• fatigued
• irritated
• overworked
• sleepy
• stale