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Showing results for world-weary. Search instead for worldweary.
Synonyms

world-weary

American  
[wurld-weer-ee] / ˈwɜrldˌwɪər i /

adjective

  1. weary of the world; bored with existence, material pleasures, etc.

world-weary British  

adjective

  1. no longer finding pleasure in living; tired of the world

"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

Other Word Forms

  • world-weariness noun

Etymology

Origin of world-weary

First recorded in 1760–70

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.

The world-weary consumer of news might reasonably wonder if we’re headed into another version of climate alarmism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Brian Cox is one of Hollywood’s go-to guys when they need to convey something hard-edged and world-weary.

From Salon • Dec. 9, 2025

The movie is at times sluggish to the point of inertia, but Craig is magnificent as its world-weary, ravaged refugee.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2024

For “Stress Positions,” the writer-director Theda Hammel shows her hand when a character says, in a world-weary voice-over, that the madness we’re about to witness “happened so long ago.”

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2024

“Oh, spare me your platitudes, mouse,” Julian replied in a world-weary voice.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

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.