Word
tired
US/ˈtaɪɝd/
UK/tˈaɪəd/
Definitions
01needing sleep
A1 · Beginner
adj. feeling that you need to rest or sleep.
adj. feeling a need for sleep or rest; physically or mentally fatigued.
“I felt very tired after the long flight and went straight to bed.”
“The medical staff were visibly tired after completing a double shift during the peak of the flu season.”
Usage
Commonly follows 'feel' or 'be'.
Pitfall
I am very tiring after work.
I am very tired after work.
Use 'tired' to describe how you feel. Use 'tiring' to describe the thing that makes you feel that way, like a long meeting.
02bored or annoyed
B1 · Intermediate
adj. bored with something because you have done it or seen it too many times.
adj. having lost interest or patience with something; weary of a repetitive situation.
“I am tired of eating the same sandwich for lunch every single day.”
“The voters grew tired of the candidate's empty promises and began looking for a more authentic alternative.”
Usage
Usually takes the preposition 'of' followed by a noun or gerund.
Antonyms
03overused or cliché
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. used so often that it is no longer interesting or effective.
adj. hackneyed or cliché; lacking originality due to excessive repetition.
“The movie was full of tired jokes that nobody laughed at.”
“The marketing campaign relied on tired tropes about family life that failed to resonate with a modern audience.”
Synonyms
04worn out
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. looking old and in poor condition because it has been used a lot.
adj. showing signs of wear or age; no longer in a fresh or sturdy condition.
“The room was decorated with tired old furniture from the 1970s.”
“The building's tired facade was finally restored after decades of neglect and exposure to the elements.”
Confusables
Tired describes the person feeling the fatigue, while tiring describes the activity that causes it.
RememberTired is how I feel; tiring is the job's appeal.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
01. sick and tired
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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