tired

¹

[tahy^uhrd]

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.

tired

²

[tahy^uhrd]

adjective

1. having a tire or tires.

tired

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• tiredly adverb
• tiredness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tired¹

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

Origin of tired²

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

Idioms and Phrases

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

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

The memoir took her two years, but she says the act of writing is what keeps her alive: "Did you imagine how tired I would be if I wasn't writing? That would kill me."

From BBC

It was more than halfway through the season, they were tired and it was a real testament to their resilience and professionalism that they really just went for it.

From Los Angeles Times

“I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of talking about the ‘99 team,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

"I was pointing, giving the hat, but I had a lot going on after my match, after being super tired and super excited for the win," he said.

From BBC

"We are rather tired after a hectic night of frantic mopping," she said.

From BBC

Related Words

• annoyed 
• bored 
• distressed 
• drained www.thesaurus.com
• exasperated 
• fatigued 
• irritated 
• overworked www.thesaurus.com
• sleepy 
• stale