fatigue
gb/fətˈiɡ/ us/fətˈiɡ/
B1
English
~ 4300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
Extreme physical or mental tiredness
A feeling of being very tired in body or mind, often after working hard or being sick.
Usage pattern:
to feel [fatigue]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'fatigue' with 'sleepiness'. Fatigue is not always solved by sleeping; it can also result from stress, illness, or overwork.
Synonyms
exhaustion (Often implies complete depletion of energy, sometimes stronger than 'fatigue'.)
|
weariness (Slightly softer and more literary than 'fatigue', can suggest boredom as well as tiredness.)
Antonyms
energy (Represents the opposite state of having strength and vitality.)
|
vigor (Implies physical strength and good health, the opposite of fatigue.)
Collocations
chronic fatigue
|mental fatigue
|combat fatigue
|physical fatigue
|suffer from fatigue
Themes
health
|daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After the long hike, she was overcome with fatigue.
- Jet lag can cause severe fatigue for travelers.
- The doctor noted signs of fatigue in the patient after the surgery.
- He pushed through his fatigue to finish the project on time.
- Fatigue made it hard for him to concentrate in class.
Learner examples
- I feel fatigue after running a long time.
- Fatigue makes it hard to work.
- She had fatigue after working all day.
- The trip gave him great fatigue.
- He rested to remove his fatigue.
Noun
technical
C1
event
2
Weakening of material under stress
When a material, like metal, becomes weak or breaks because it has been used many times under stress.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this technical sense with the everyday meaning of feeling tired; in engineering it refers to materials, not people.
Synonyms
wear (General term for gradual damage to a material over time; not limited to repeated stress.)
Antonyms
durability (The ability of a material to resist wear and damage over time.)
Collocations
metal fatigue
|fatigue testing
|fatigue failure
Themes
science
|engineering
|technology
Examples
- The bridge collapsed due to metal fatigue.
- Engineers tested the component for signs of fatigue before approval.
- Aircraft parts are regularly inspected for fatigue to prevent accidents.
Learner examples
- The car part broke because of metal fatigue.
- Metal fatigue can make machines unsafe.
- We test for fatigue in the lab.
Verb
B2
action
3
To make someone very tired
To make a person very tired in body or mind.
Usage pattern:
to fatigue [someone]
Synonyms
exhaust (Common everyday term meaning to use up someone's energy completely.)
Antonyms
energize (To give someone more energy or strength.)
Collocations
fatigue the body
|fatigue muscles
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The long march fatigued the soldiers.
- Intense study sessions can fatigue the mind.
- He was fatigued by the constant demands of his job.
Learner examples
- The long walk fatigued me.
- Loud noise can fatigue people.
- Running too much will fatigue your legs.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fatigue
IPA
GB/fətˈiɡ/
US/fətˈiɡ/
Syllables & stress
fa - tigue (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tigue)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fatigue
- Plural: fatigue
Verb
- Base: fatigue
- 3rd Person Singular: fatigues
- Present Participle: fatiguing
- Past: fatigued
Word family
Forms
fatigues
verb
fatiguing
verb
fatigued
verb
Expressions
battle fatigue
1/bˈætəl fətˈiɡ/
fixed phrase
Psychological stress from combat
Mental and emotional tiredness in soldiers caused by fighting in battles.
Examples
- Battle fatigue affected troop morale during the conflict.
- He was diagnosed with battle fatigue after months on the front line.
combat fatigue
1/kˈɑmbæt fətˈiɡ/
fixed phrase
War-related psychological exhaustion
Extreme tiredness and stress in soldiers caused by fighting in war.
Examples
- Many soldiers suffered from combat fatigue during the long campaign.
- The army provided counseling for those showing signs of combat fatigue.
metal fatigue
1/mˈɛtəl fətˈiɡ/
fixed phrase
technical
Metal weakening from repeated stress
When metal becomes weak or breaks because it has been stressed many times.
Examples
- The crash was caused by metal fatigue in the wing structure.
- They replaced the part to prevent metal fatigue.