tiresome
Americanadjective
-
causing or liable to cause a person to tire; wearisome.
a tiresome job.
-
annoying or vexatious.
- Antonyms:
- interesting
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tiresome
Explanation
Something that's tiresome is extremely dull or annoying, like the tiresome lecture your whole class gets every time some forgets to turn in their homework. Your little sister might love her enormous picture book about trucks, while you find it tiresome (especially when you're reading it to her for the tenth time). It's entirely possible that she finds some of your favorite things—like French movies, baking pies, or jazz—equally tiresome. This synonym for tedious first appeared around 1500, from the verb tire, or "become weary."
Vocabulary lists containing tiresome
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Nothing But the Truth
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Is Not a Drill: Synonyms for "Boring"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Of course, it might seem a little tiresome looking back at how things were 20 years ago, so let's not.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Doesn’t it get tiresome constantly offering audiences an opportunity to enter into a conversation when many won’t go in with an open mind?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
What’s tiresome is that in learning about them we have to sit through a one-sided lecture of the usual dreary sort.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"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
Unlike my embroidery, which came from my head and heart, the threading of tiny glass beads grew tiresome.
From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
