weary

[weer-ee]

adjective

wearier, weariest 

1. physically or mentally exhausted by hard work, exertion, strain, etc.; fatigued; tired.

   weary eyes;

   a weary brain.

   Synonyms: worn-out, spent
   Antonyms: energetic

2. characterized by or causing fatigue.

   a weary journey.

3. impatient or dissatisfied with something (often followed byof ).

   weary of excuses.

4. characterized by or causing impatience or dissatisfaction; tedious; irksome.

   a weary wait.

   Synonyms: wearisome, tiresome
   Antonyms: interesting

verb (used with or without object)

wearied, wearying 

1. to make or become weary; fatigue or tire.

   The long hours of work have wearied me.

   Synonyms: exhaust

2. to make or grow impatient or dissatisfied with something or at having too much of something (often followed byof ).

   The long drive had wearied us of desert scenery.

   We had quickly wearied at such witless entertainment.

   Synonyms: jade, irk
   Antonyms: interest

weary

/ ˈwɪərɪ /

adjective

1. tired or exhausted

2. causing fatigue or exhaustion

3. caused by or suggestive of weariness

   a weary laugh

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

verb

1. to make or become weary

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

Other Word Forms

• wearily adverb
• weariness noun
• wearyingly adverb
• outweary verb (used with object)
• self-weary adjective
• unweary adjective
• unwearying adjective
• wearying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of weary¹

First recorded before 900; (adjective) Middle English wery, Old English wērig; cognate with Old Saxon -wōrig; akin to Old English wōrian “to crumble, break down, totter”; (verb) Middle English werien, Old English wēr(i)gian, derivative of the adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of weary¹

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

Synonym Study

See tired ¹.

Example Sentences

Hamas, on the other hand, faces a war-ravaged populace that was weary of its rule even before the Oct.

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“Once upon a midnight dreary, / while I pondered, weak and weary . . . .” Thus begins the most celebrated spooky poem by the most celebrated of spooky 19th-century American writers.

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For one thing, her girl’s request to get a hamster and Linda’s weary appeasement just rings all too true.

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Altadena residents who were fully committed to rebuilding in the immediate aftermath of destruction are now rethinking it, having grown weary of the slog.

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People who were fully committed to rebuilding in the immediate aftermath of destruction are now rethinking it, having grown weary of the slog.

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Related Words

• annoy 
• bore 
• depress 
• dishearten 
• exasperate 
• exhaust 
• fade 
• irk 
• tire