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Synonyms

tiresome

American  
[tahyuhr-suhm] / ˈtaɪər səm /

adjective

  1. causing or liable to cause a person to tire; wearisome.

    a tiresome job.
    Synonyms:
    humdrum, dull

  2. annoying or vexatious.

    Antonyms:
    interesting
tiresome British  
/ ˈtaɪəsəm /

adjective

  1. boring and irritating; irksome

"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

  • tiresomely adverb
  • tiresomeness noun

Etymology

Origin of tiresome

First recorded in 1490–1500; tire 1 + -some 1

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.

"It hasn't even been a week since we experienced a similar situation. It is getting tiresome," Oliva said as she returned home after giving up on plans to visit her daughter.

From Barron's • Mar. 21, 2026

A tiresome soap opera renewed itself with wide receiver A.J.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

This autumn they could and should be three wins from three, but this is another tiresome refrain.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025

But if that gets a bit tiresome after the 13th time, here is a list of Swift sister songs to try instead, based on your favorite track from the new album.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2025

Even the tiresome call of the cuckoo in the walnut tree was only a pleasant sound of summer.

From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli

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.