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adj A1 Beginner Common

tired

TEYE-uhd

Tired (adj) means in need of rest or sleep; worn out. Example: “I'm too tired to cook tonight.”

adj
1
In need of rest or sleep; worn out.
"I'm too tired to cook tonight."
"The children were tired after the long car ride."
2
Fed up or impatient with something.
"I'm tired of hearing the same excuses."
3
Overused to the point of feeling stale or unoriginal.
"The film relied on a tired old plot twist."

How to Use Tired

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishExhausted, or, of an idea, stale from overuse.

Common pairings
tired of tired eyes tired old cliché

Word Forms

more tired comparative, tireder comparative, most tired superlative, tiredest superlative

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Test yourself on “tired” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

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I'm too _____ to cook tonight.

Related Words

Rhymes for tired

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “tired” mean?

The word “tired” means in need of rest or sleep; worn out. In plain terms, exhausted, or, of an idea, stale from overuse.

How do you pronounce “tired”?

“Tired” is pronounced TEYE-uhd ([ˈtaɪ̯ɚd] in IPA).

How do you use “tired” in a sentence?

Here is “tired” used in a sentence: “I'm too tired to cook tonight.”

What part of speech is “tired”?

“Tired” is an adjective.

Is “tired” a common word?

“Tired” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

How many meanings does “tired” have?

“Tired” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in need of rest or sleep; worn out.

What is the difference between tired and sleepy?

Sleepy means specifically feeling the urge to fall asleep, with heavy eyes and drifting attention. Tired is broader: it covers needing rest of any kind, including physical or mental exhaustion, without necessarily wanting to sleep. You can feel tired after a hard workout yet not sleepy at all.

What is the difference between tired and exhausted?

Both describe needing rest, but they differ in degree. Tired is the everyday feeling of being worn out and ready to slow down. Exhausted is far more intense, meaning completely drained of energy, often to the point of being unable to continue. Exhausted is essentially tired taken to its extreme.

What does it mean to be tired of something?

Beyond needing rest, "tired of" something means being bored, impatient, or fed up with it. If you are tired of a song, you have heard it too often and no longer enjoy it. This sense has nothing to do with sleep; it expresses weariness of the mind rather than the body.

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