ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tiresome

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtaɪɝsəm// UK //tˈaɪəsʌm// tire·some
Definition

adj. describing something that is annoying or boring because it lasts too long or happens too often.

adj. causing fatigue, boredom, or annoyance through tedious repetition or excessive length.


SIMPLE

The long commute to work is very tiresome.

CONTEXTUAL

He found the constant complaints from his coworkers increasingly tiresome as the project dragged on.

COMPLEX

While the initial debate was intellectually stimulating, the subsequent hours of circular arguments proved tiresome for everyone involved in the committee.

Origin

From tire + -some.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'become', 'find', or 'grow'.

Pitfall

I am tiresome of this jobI am tired of this jobTiresome describes the thing that causes boredom; tired describes the person feeling it.

Last updated May 9, 2026