fed up

9 synonyms and 5 antonyms for fed up, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Annoyed, bored or unhappy about a situation that has gone on too long.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

down low

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

weary

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

sick of tired of exasperated disillusioned glum dejected

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective informal

Annoyed, bored or unhappy about a situation that has gone on too long.

“I'm fed up with the constant delays on this line.”

sick of tired of exasperated disillusioned weary

Opposites

content satisfied delighted

2. adjective informal

In a low, flat mood for no single obvious reason.

“He has been a bit fed up since the weather turned.”

down glum dejected low

Opposites

cheerful upbeat

How to use fed up

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

fed up with fed up of thoroughly fed up sick and fed up

Informal but perfectly polite in speech and casual writing. The second sense, meaning generally low in spirits, is chiefly British.

Etymology

See the etymology at the corresponding lemma form.

Full origin of fed up →

Frequently asked questions

Is it fed up with or fed up of?

Fed up with is the established standard form and the safer choice in writing. Fed up of is widespread in informal British speech and is increasingly heard, but some readers still treat it as an error.

What is the difference between fed up and angry?

Anger is a sharp reaction to something that has just happened. Being fed up is duller and slower, built up by something repeating or dragging on, and it tends to end in walking away rather than shouting.

Where does the phrase fed up come from?

It draws on the image of being so thoroughly fed that you cannot take another mouthful, and so want no more of what is being offered. The link to overfeeding is clear from the wording itself, though the exact route into everyday slang is not documented.

People also searched

down low content satisfied delighted weary cheerful upbeat disillusioned dejected exasperated glum

Nearby words

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