wearily
Americanadverb
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in a way that shows physical or mental exhaustion.
Amid a rain of debris and the noise of a small avalanche, two small figures drag themselves painfully and wearily from the ruins.
-
in a way that shows impatience, dissatisfaction, or overfamiliarity.
The Staten Island Ferry is usually a scene of seasoned commuters wearily ignoring the snap-happy tourists who arrive in droves to take pictures of the Statue of Liberty.
Seasoned activists wearily explain that these youth have been at higher risk for quite some time—but thanks for noticing.
Etymology
Origin of wearily
Explanation
When you do something wearily, you do it with great exhaustion, like finishing a big project for school late at night when you're so tired that your eyes can barely stay open. Coming from the Old English word werig, meaning "exhausted," wearily shows the effort and struggle to keep going when energy is low, painting a clear picture of extreme tiredness. A traveler might walk wearily at the end of a long journey, each step feeling heavier than the last. Similarly, a student might complete their final exam wearily, their energy drained after hours of concentration.
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.
Wearily, he says he may consider reading it.
From Washington Post • Feb. 24, 2016
Wearily, he joined his platoon mates as they unloaded their trucks back at their home base in Kunduz.
From New York Times • Nov. 22, 2010
Wearily but doggedly I complained again, and this is subject to a further review.
From The Guardian • Apr. 28, 2010
Wearily, the magistrate applied to higher authorities for permission.
From Time Magazine Archive
Wearily they followed him, climbing the long slope, until they came out upon the top.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
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.
