# tired

/ˈtaɪɝd/ (US) · /tˈaɪəd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tired
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. needing sleep

adjective · CEFR A1

feeling that you need to rest or sleep.

For teachers: 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'.

### 2. bored or annoyed

adjective · CEFR B1

bored with something because you have done it or seen it too many times.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. overused or cliché

adjective · CEFR B2

used so often that it is no longer interesting or effective.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. worn out

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

looking old and in poor condition because it has been used a lot.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- I am very tired after my long walk.
- She felt extremely tired after working a double shift at the hospital and went straight to bed.
- The exhausted hikers were so tired that they barely noticed the spectacular sunset unfolding over the valley as they reached the campsite.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.