tired
gb/tˈaɪɚd/ us/tˈaɪɚd/
A1
English
~ 2400
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
state
1
Needing rest or sleep
Feeling like you need to sleep or rest because you have no energy.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is tired
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'tired' with 'boring' when describing situations; 'tired' describes people or animals, not events (except figuratively).
Synonyms
sleepy (Implies drowsiness and the urge to sleep, often from time of day rather than exertion.)
|
exhausted (Much stronger than 'tired'; extreme physical or mental fatigue.)
Antonyms
energetic (Describes someone full of energy and not needing rest.)
|
rested (Describes someone who has regained energy after sleep or relaxation.)
Collocations
feel tired
|look tired
|very tired
|too tired
|get tired
Themes
daily life
|health
|emotions
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I’m so tired after running that marathon.
- She felt tired and went to bed early.
- You look tired—did you sleep well last night?
- He was too tired to finish his homework.
- After a long day at work, they were both tired.
Learner examples
- I am tired after work.
- She is tired and wants to sleep.
- He feels tired in the morning.
- They are tired from walking.
- My mother looks tired today.
adjective
B1
property
2
Worn out from use or age
Looking old or used because it has been used a lot.
Usage pattern:
[something] looks tired
Synonyms
worn-out (Emphasizes being unusable or very badly damaged from overuse.)
Antonyms
fresh (New, clean, and not showing signs of wear.)
Collocations
tired eyes
|tired furniture
|tired design
Themes
objects
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The sofa looked tired after ten years in the living room.
- His tired eyes struggled to focus on the screen.
- That logo design feels tired and outdated.
Learner examples
- The shoes look tired now.
- This table is tired and old.
- My eyes are tired from reading.
adjective
A2
state
3
Bored or fed up with something repeated
Not interested in something anymore because it happens too much.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is tired of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'of' in 'tired of', which is required in this idiomatic usage.
Synonyms
fed up (Informal; strongly annoyed or bored with something persistent.)
|
weary (More formal; suggests mental or emotional fatigue from repetition.)
Antonyms
interested (Actively wanting to be involved in or learn about something.)
|
enthusiastic (Showing strong interest and excitement about something.)
Collocations
tired of waiting
|tired of excuses
|tired of hearing
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I’m tired of hearing the same song on the radio.
- She’s tired of his constant complaining.
- They were tired of waiting for the bus in the rain.
Learner examples
- I am tired of this game.
- She is tired of his jokes.
- They are tired of waiting for the train.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tired
IPA
GB/tˈaɪɚd/
US/tˈaɪɚd/
Syllables & stress
tired (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (tired)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: tired
Word family
Expressions
dead tired
1/dˈɛd tˈaɪɚd/
fixed phrase
informal
Extremely fatigued or exhausted
Very, very tired.
Examples
- I was dead tired after working all night.
- He’s dead tired from studying for exams.
dog-tired
1/dˈɔɡ tˈaɪɚd/
idiom
informal
Extremely physically exhausted
Very, very tired.
Examples
- After the hike, we were dog-tired.
- He came home dog-tired and went straight to bed.
sick and tired of
1/sˈɪk ˈænd tˈaɪɚd əv/
idiom
informal
Extremely annoyed or bored with something repetitive
Very angry or bored because something happens too much.
Examples
- I’m sick and tired of your excuses.
- She was sick and tired of cleaning up after them every day.
tired and emotional
1/tˈaɪɚd ˈænd ɪmˈoʊʃənəl/
idiom
informal
Mildly drunk (euphemism) or emotionally overwhelmed and fatigued
A polite way to say someone has drunk alcohol, or they are very upset and tired.
Examples
- The politician appeared on TV looking tired and emotional.
- After the long day, she was feeling tired and emotional.
tired out
1/tˈaɪɚd ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Make someone very fatigued
To make someone very tired.
Examples
- The long walk really tired me out.
- Playing with the children all afternoon tired her out.