weary

[weer-ee]

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adjective, wea·ri·er, wea·ri·est.

physically or mentally exhausted by hard work, exertion, strain, etc.; fatigued; tired: weary eyes; a weary brain.

characterized by or causing fatigue: a weary journey.

impatient or dissatisfied with something (often followed by of): weary of excuses.

characterized by or causing impatience or dissatisfaction; tedious; irksome: a weary wait.

verb (used with or without object), wea·ried, wea·ry·ing.

to make or become weary; fatigue or tire: The long hours of work have wearied me.

to make or grow impatient or dissatisfied with something or at having too much of something (often followed by of): The long drive had wearied us of desert scenery. We had quickly wearied at such witless entertainment.

Nearby words

Origin of weary

before 900; (adj.) Middle English wery, Old English wērig; cognate with Old Saxon -wōrig; akin to Old English wōrian to crumble, break down, totter; (v.) Middle English werien, Old English wēr(i)gian, derivative of the adj.

SYNONYMS FOR weary

1. spent. See tired¹. 4. tiresome, wearisome. 5. exhaust. 6. irk; jade.

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ANTONYMS FOR weary

1. energetic. 4. interesting. 6. interest.

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Related forms

wea·ri·ly, adverbwea·ri·ness, nounwea·ry·ing·ly, adverbout·wea·ry, verb (used with object), out·wea·ried, out·wea·ry·ing.

self-wea·ri·ness, nounself-wea·ry, adjectiveun·wea·ry, adjectiveun·wea·ry·ing, adjective

Can be confusedwary weary leery

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for weariness

And you can sense the weariness in Royko when he says he would like to walk away from it all and try to write a comic novel.
The Stacks: John Schulian’s Classic Profile of Newspaper Columnist Mike Royko|John Schulian|January 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many of our leaders and pundits complain about the weariness and wariness of war, but the nature of conflict has changed.
The Essential Spy Guide|Henry A. Crumpton|May 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I have to admit, and in the face of all my weariness and skepticism, I like the idea.
Life In Common|Yehudah Mirsky|July 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The style is elegant and understated, the aura of weariness and mortality extremely powerful.
Scorsese's Favorite Gangster Movies|Martin Scorsese|September 8, 2010|DAILY BEAST

On the model's face was her faint, impersonal professional smile that seemed to cover something like weariness or contempt.
The Trimmed Lamp|O. Henry
"I must first rest a little," he returned, with a sigh of weariness, as he fell back exhausted upon his rude couch.
Mildred at Home|Martha Finley
His horse comparatively fresh after easy riding, went many miles without showing any signs of weariness.
The Scouts of Stonewall|Joseph A. Altsheler
The responsive face lighted and weariness gave place to the glow of enthusiasm.
Destiny|Charles Neville Buck
That terrible struggle, with all its incidents of weariness and agony, was present to her mind.
John Caldigate|Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for weariness

weary

adjective -rier or -riest

tired or exhausted

causing fatigue or exhaustion

caused by or suggestive of wearinessa weary laugh

(postpositive; often foll by of or with) discontented or bored, esp by the long continuance of something

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

to make or become weary

to make or become discontented or impatient, esp by the long continuance of something

Derived Formswearily, adverbweariness, nounwearying, adjectivewearyingly, adverb

Word Origin for weary

Old English wērig; related to Old Saxon wōrig, Old High German wuorag drunk, Greek hōrakian to faint

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

Word Origin and History for weariness

weary

Old English wergian (intransitive), gewergian (transitive), from the source of weary (adj.). Related: Wearied; wearying.

weary

adj.

Old English werig "tired," related to worian "to wander, totter," from West Germanic *worigaz (cf. Old Saxon worig "weary," Old High German wuorag "intoxicated"), of unknown origin.

weary

adjective, wea·ri·er, wea·ri·est.

verb (used with or without object), wea·ried, wea·ry·ing.

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Origin of weary

Examples from the Web for weariness

weary

adjective -rier or -riest

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

Word Origin for weary

weary

weary