tired

¹ American  

[tahy^uhrd] / taɪərd /

adjective

1. exhausted, as by exertion; fatigued or sleepy.

   They provided water to a tired runner.

   Synonyms:

   enervated

   Antonyms:

   energetic

2. weary or bored (usually followed byof ).

   I'm tired of eating the same food every day.

3. hackneyed; stale, as a joke, phrase, or sermon.

   The standup comedian's tired old gags got no laughs.

4. Informal. impatient or disgusted.

   You make me tired.

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tired ² American  

[tahy^uhrd] / taɪərd /

adjective

1. having a tire or tires.

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tired British  

/ ˈtaɪəd /

adjective

1. weary; fatigued

2. (foll by of)

   1. having lost interest in; bored

      I'm tired of playing cards

   2. having lost patience with; exasperated by

      I'm tired of his eternal excuses

3. hackneyed; stale

   the same tired old jokes

4. euphemistic slightly drunk

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tired Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing tired

• dead on one's feet (tired)
• sick and tired

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Synonym Usage

Tired, exhausted, fatigued, wearied, weary suggest a condition in which a large part of one's energy and vitality has been consumed. One who is tired has used up a considerable part of their bodily or mental resources: to feel tired at the end of the day. One who is exhausted is completely drained of energy and vitality, usually because of arduous or long-sustained effort: The horse was left exhausted after a hard run. One who is fatigued has consumed energy to a point where rest and sleep are demanded: A good workout can leave you feeling rather pleasantly fatigued. One who is wearied has been under protracted exertion or strain that has gradually worn out their strength: The sentry sat down, wearied by a long vigil. Weary suggests a more permanent condition than wearied: The family is weary of struggling against misfortunes.

Other Word Forms

• tiredness
  noun
• tiredly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of tired¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English tyred; see origin at tire ¹; see also -ed ² ( def. )

Origin of tired²

First recorded in 1890–95; tire ² + -ed ³

Explanation

If you're tired, you should get some rest. If you're tired of being tired, you might need to eat better and exercise more. If you're tired of being told what to do, you should stop asking for advice. Tired can also mean that something is old news, or worn out to the point where people don't want to hear it anymore. Although you still find them funny, your co-workers think your impressions of your favorite cartoon characters are pretty tired.

Example Sentences

Despite the extra precautions she said the children were "all tired and a little grumpy" but praised their "fantastic patience".

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026

“My position is simple: I’m tired, but we have to finish this,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

So if you’re feeling persistently tired, is it worth paying for vitamin B12 injections at a wellness clinic or medispa?

From Science Daily • Jun. 25, 2026

“Families are still dealing with the smoke, odor, ash, closed parks and community spaces, disrupted routines and serious concerns about what they are breathing. And people are tired, they are anxious, and they deserve answers.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

“Want to get the pixies out just before they’re ready to sleep for the winter so they’re too tired to move back.”

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• annoyed
• bored
• distressed
• drained
• exasperated
• fatigued
• irritated
• overworked
• sleepy
• stale