weary
gb/wˈɪɹi/ us/wˈɪɹi/
B1
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
state
1
tired from work or lack of rest
Feeling tired because you have worked hard or have not slept enough.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is weary
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'weary' with 'wary'. 'Weary' means tired, while 'wary' means careful or cautious.
Synonyms
tired (More general; 'weary' often suggests prolonged or deeper fatigue.)
|
exhausted (Stronger and more intense than 'weary', suggesting extreme tiredness.)
Antonyms
energetic (Describes having a lot of energy, the opposite of feeling weary.)
Collocations
feel weary
|look weary
|grow weary
|become weary
|weary eyes
Themes
daily life
|health
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After the long hike, she was too weary to cook dinner.
- He gave a weary sigh and sat down.
- The workers looked weary after the twelve-hour shift.
- I felt weary after staying up all night.
- She rubbed her weary eyes and kept reading.
Learner examples
- I am weary after my trip.
- He looks weary today.
- She is weary from walking.
- They feel weary after work.
Verb
B2
action
2
cause someone to feel tired or bored
To make someone feel tired or bored after a long time.
Usage pattern:
[something] wearies [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'weary' as a verb without an object when they mean 'to become tired'; in that case, use 'grow weary'.
Synonyms
tire (More common and general; 'weary' can suggest a deeper or more prolonged effect.)
Antonyms
energize (To give energy or enthusiasm, the opposite of making someone weary.)
Collocations
weary the audience
|weary the listener
|weary travelers
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The endless meetings began to weary the staff.
- His constant complaints wearied her.
- Long speeches can weary an audience quickly.
- The journey wearied even the most experienced hikers.
Learner examples
- The long talk wearied me.
- His story wearies the class.
- The hot sun wearies the workers.
adjective
B2
state
3
bored from repetition or unpleasantness
Not wanting to do something anymore because it has happened too much or is unpleasant.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is weary of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'weary of' with 'wary of'. The first means bored/tired, the second means cautious.
Synonyms
fed up (Informal; stronger emotional reaction than 'weary'.)
|
jaded ('Jaded' often suggests overexposure to pleasures, while 'weary' can apply to any repetition.)
Antonyms
interested (Engaged and wanting to continue, opposite of being weary of something.)
Collocations
weary of war
|weary of waiting
|weary of politics
Themes
emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She grew weary of hearing the same excuses.
- Many voters are weary of political promises.
- I'm getting weary of this constant rain.
Learner examples
- I am weary of his lies.
- She is weary of waiting.
- They are weary of bad news.
Grammar
Dictionary form
weary
IPA
GB/wˈɪɹi/
US/wˈɪɹi/
Syllables & stress
weary (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (weary)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: weary
- Comparative: wearier
- Superlative: weariest
Verb
- Base: weary
- 3rd Person Singular: wearies
- Present Participle: wearying
- Past: wearied
Word family
Expressions
a weary sigh
1/ə wˈɪɹi sˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
sigh showing tiredness or resignation
A deep breath out that shows you are tired or have given up hope.
Examples
- He let out a weary sigh before answering the question.
- With a weary sigh, she turned back to her work.
grow weary of
1/ɡɹˈoʊ wˈɪɹi əv/
fixed phrase
become bored or tired of something over time
To slowly start feeling bored or tired of something that happens too much.
Examples
- Over the years, she grew weary of city life.
- They grew weary of the constant noise in the neighborhood.
world-weary
1/wˈɚld wˈɪɹi/
fixed phrase
literary
tired from too many life problems
Not interested in life because you have seen too many bad things happen.
Examples
- The detective’s world-weary expression told its own story.
- She spoke in a world-weary tone that made everyone fall silent.