weariness

American  

[weer-ee-nis] / ˈwɪər i nɪs /

noun

1. the state or condition of being physically or mentally exhausted by hard work, exertion, strain, etc.; tiredness; fatigue.

   Weariness, pain, and hunger made the wretched man fall asleep, and he slept the whole night.

2. impatience or dissatisfaction with something tedious or burdensome (often used in combination).

   The people have begun to show a war-weariness and apathy brought on by the long, brutal struggle for independence.

   At 50, the singer still has boyish charm with none of the weariness of life—he’s curious, passionate, and engaged.

3. the quality of causing such fatigue or dissatisfaction; a tiring or tedious quality.

   The summer heat only heightened the weariness of their journey.

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Other Word Forms

• self-weariness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of weariness

weary ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Explanation

Weariness is a temporary feeling of low energy and tiredness. Most people feel weariness after a long day of work. Marathons, babysitting small children, standardized tests, and getting old can also cause weariness. When you're weary, you're tired. Put a –ness at the end of the word to make a noun, and viola! weariness is the condition of feeling tired or fatigued. In fact, the familiar French loan word fatigue means “weariness.” Physical work (like helping someone move) or mental work (like reading a difficult book) can make you experience weariness. If a busy schedule is making you feel a general sense of weariness, it’s time for a vacation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

weariness

There is a particular weariness that comes from hearing courts speak eloquently about equality while repeatedly encountering circumstances that seem to demand far more rigorous scrutiny than they receive.

From Slate ● Jun. 17, 2026

There’s a resigned weariness in her voice when she says, “Then they realize we just don’t get the kind of foot traffic it takes to sustain those kinds of businesses, and it goes away.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2026

"Citizens also perceive that tension in the public debate causes weariness, disenchantment and disaffection," Felipe said in his traditional address to the nation from Madrid's Royal Palace.

From Barron's ● Dec. 24, 2025

There's a sense of intrigue among some of the neighbours, but there's also a lot of weariness.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2025

And all the weight, all the weariness of it, had recapitulated itself in his body; he felt the physical burden.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

Related Words

• boredom
• ennui
• fatigue