weariness
gb/wˈɪɹinəs/ us/wˈɪɹinəs/
B2
English
~ 26100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
physical or mental tiredness
A strong feeling of being very tired in your body or mind after doing something for a long time or not resting enough.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels [weariness] after [activity]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "weariness" with "weakness." "Weariness" is about being tired, often after effort or lack of sleep, while "weakness" is about not having much strength or power, which may come from illness or a physical condition. Learners may also mix it up with the verb "wear," but "weariness" is a noun and does not mean to put on clothes.
Synonyms
fatigue (Often slightly more formal or medical, especially for long-lasting physical or mental tiredness.)
|
tiredness (More everyday and general; can be milder, while weariness often suggests deeper or longer-lasting tiredness.)
Antonyms
energy (Suggests having strength and power to act, the opposite of feeling tired and worn out.)
|
vitality (Emphasizes lively, strong physical and mental health, contrasting with the heaviness of weariness.)
Collocations
physical weariness
|mental weariness
|extreme weariness
|feel weariness
|with weariness
|signs of weariness
Themes
health
|emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A wave of weariness washed over him after the twelve-hour shift.
- She sank into the chair, her face showing clear weariness from the long journey.
- By the end of the week, the teacher’s weariness was obvious in her slow voice.
- He rubbed his eyes in quiet weariness and turned back to the report.
- The soldiers marched on despite their growing weariness.
Learner examples
- I felt great weariness after running the marathon.
- Her eyes showed weariness after many nights without sleep.
- He sat down in weariness at the end of the long day.
- There was deep weariness in his voice when he spoke.
- The team played with weariness after three games in a row.
Noun
C1
state
2
emotional tiredness and boredom
A feeling that you are tired of something and do not care about it anymore because it has gone on too long or feels the same again and again.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels weariness with/of [situation]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this kind of "weariness" always means physical tiredness. In this sense it is more about emotional tiredness and boredom with a situation, often used with "with" or "of" (e.g., "weariness with politics," "weariness of city life"). Using it without a clear situation (e.g., *"I have weariness"*) can sound unnatural; it is better to specify what you are weary of.
Synonyms
ennui (More formal and literary; often suggests a deeper, more philosophical boredom with life itself.)
|
disillusionment (Focuses more on losing hope or trust, while weariness can be quieter and more about tiredness and boredom.)
Antonyms
enthusiasm (Shows strong, excited interest, directly opposite to the dull, tired feeling of weariness with something.)
|
engagement (Means being emotionally involved and interested, which contrasts with feeling distant and tired of something.)
Collocations
world weariness
|a deep weariness
|weariness with life
|political weariness
|a certain weariness
|weariness at the constant news
Themes
emotions
|psychology
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There is a growing weariness with endless online meetings.
- She spoke about politics with a weariness that came from years of disappointment.
- A kind of quiet weariness settled over the crowd as the speech dragged on.
- His jokes were met with polite smiles and a hint of weariness from his friends.
- The novel captures the social media weariness felt by many young adults.
Learner examples
- Many people feel weariness with the daily news.
- After many broken promises, there is weariness with the government.
- She showed weariness with her job and wanted a change.
- There is public weariness with long, empty speeches.
- I feel a slow weariness with city life.
Grammar
Expressions
weariness of life
1/wˈɪɹinəs əv lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
literary
tired discouragement about living
A strong feeling that life is heavy and painful and that you are very tired of living it.
Examples
- The poem describes an old man’s quiet weariness of life.
- In her letters she hints at a deep weariness of life after the tragedy.
world-weariness
1/wˈɚld wˈɪɹinəs/
fixed phrase
literary
tired sadness about the world
A feeling that you are tired of the world and society, and no longer surprised or excited by them because you have seen too many bad or disappointing things.
Examples
- Her writing is full of world-weariness, but also a quiet hope.
- The character’s jokes hide a deep world-weariness and pain.
- After years as a war reporter, he spoke with clear world-weariness about human cruelty.