Feeling tired is a common human experience, and sometimes, we’re so worn out that words alone can’t capture our fatigue. That’s where idioms come in handy! Idioms are expressions that convey a particular meaning beyond the literal words.
In this article, we’ll explore idioms for tiredness, providing clear explanations for each phrase and showing you how to use them in everyday conversations.
What is an idiom for tired?
Idioms for tiredness are expressions used to describe a state of extreme exhaustion or fatigue.
These idioms paint vivid pictures of just how drained and weary a person might be feeling. Let’s explore these idioms and understand their meanings and usage.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Burned out | Mentally and physically exhausted due to overwork or stress. | After working overtime for weeks, she felt completely burned out and needed a break. |
| Run down | Feeling exhausted and lacking energy, as if physically worn down. | He looked run down after the long hike; it must have been exhausting. |
| Worn out | Extremely tired, often from physical exertion or a lack of sleep. | The marathon left her completely worn out, but she was proud of her accomplishment. |
| Exhausted | Completely drained of energy, both physically and mentally. | After a full day of meetings and presentations, he was utterly exhausted. |
| Drained | Feeling emptied of energy or emotionally exhausted. | Dealing with the family crisis had left her emotionally drained. |
| Beat | Extremely tired and fatigued, as if through a tough physical ordeal. | After the intense workout, he felt completely beat. |
| Pooped | Very tired or exhausted, often after a strenuous activity. | After running a marathon, she was pooped and needed a long nap. |
| Weary | Feeling physically or mentally tired, often after a long and challenging day. | The weary travelers finally reached their destination after a long journey. |
| Fatigued | Experiencing extreme tiredness or physical exhaustion. | The long hours of hiking had left them feeling fatigued but fulfilled. |
| Spent | Completely used up or exhausted, often after expending all one’s energy. | After a day of cleaning the entire house, she felt completely spent. |
| Dog-tired | Extremely tired, as tired as a dog that has been running or working hard. | After a full day of yard work, he was dog-tired and ready for a good night’s sleep. |
| Bone-tired | So tired that even your bones ache; an extreme level of fatigue. | After the long hike, she was bone-tired and couldn’t take another step. |
| Dead tired | Utterly and completely exhausted, to the point of feeling lifeless. | After the all-nighter, he was dead tired and couldn’t keep his eyes open. |
| Out of gas | Having no energy or stamina left, feeling completely depleted. | After the long bike ride, he was out of gas and couldn’t pedal any farther. |
| Running on empty | Operating with very little energy or resources left, often in a depleted state. | After a busy workweek, she was running on empty and needed a weekend to recharge. |
| At the end of one’s rope | Feeling exhausted and mentally drained, as if you’ve reached your limit. | After dealing with constant stress, she was at the end of her rope and needed a break. |
| At the end of one’s tether | Feeling completely worn out and mentally fatigued. | The demanding project had left him at the end of his tether; he needed some time off. |
| Frazzled | Feeling mentally and emotionally drained, often due to stress or anxiety. | The challenging exam had left her feeling frazzled and in need of relaxation. |
| Bushed | Extremely tired, often after a physically demanding activity. | After a day of hiking in the mountains, they were bushed and ready for a rest. |
| Ragged | Feeling physically and emotionally worn out, often due to stress or hardship. | The constant pressure at work had left him feeling ragged and overwhelmed. |
| Tuckered out | Completely exhausted, especially after a strenuous or tiring task. | After the long day at the amusement park, the kids were tuckered out. |
| Bone-weary | Feeling utterly exhausted, as if your bones are heavy and tired. | After the grueling workout, she was bone-weary but satisfied with her progress. |
| Ready to drop | So tired that you’re on the verge of collapsing or falling asleep. | After the long flight, he was ready to drop and couldn’t wait to get to his hotel. |
| Sleep-deprived | Exhausted due to a lack of sleep or insufficient rest. | She was sleep-deprived after staying up all night to finish her project. |
| Listless | Lacking energy or enthusiasm, often due to extreme tiredness. | The long day had left her feeling listless and uninterested in any activities. |
| Enervated | Feeling drained of energy or vitality, often due to prolonged stress or exertion. | The stressful week had left him feeling enervated and in need of relaxation. |
| Knackered | Exhausted, often used informally to express extreme tiredness. | After the strenuous workout, they were absolutely knackered. |
Feeling tired is like carrying a heavy load on your shoulders, each step becoming more difficult as exhaustion sets in. If you’re interested in more comparisons to describe feeling tired, you can visit this link: Similes for tired. And for a variety of metaphors related to tiredness, you can explore this link: Metaphors for tired.
Idioms for Tired
1. Burned out
Meaning: Mentally and physically exhausted, often due to overwork or stress.
In a Sentence: After working overtime for weeks, she felt completely burned out and needed a break.
2. Run down
Meaning: Feeling exhausted and lacking energy, as if you’ve been physically worn down.
In a Sentence: He looked run down after the long hike; it must have been exhausting.
3. Worn out
Meaning: Extremely tired, often from physical exertion or a lack of sleep.
In a Sentence: The marathon left her completely worn out, but she was proud of her accomplishment.
4. Exhausted
Meaning: Completely drained of energy, both physically and mentally.
In a Sentence: After a full day of meetings and presentations, he was utterly exhausted.
5. Drained
Meaning: Feeling emptied of energy or emotionally exhausted.
In a Sentence: Dealing with the family crisis had left her emotionally drained.
6. Beat
Meaning: Extremely tired and fatigued, as if you’ve been through a tough physical ordeal.
In a Sentence: After the intense workout, he felt completely beat.
7. Pooped
Meaning: Very tired or exhausted, often after a strenuous activity.
In a Sentence: After running a marathon, she was pooped and needed a long nap.
8. Weary
Meaning: Feeling physically or mentally tired, often after a long and challenging day.
In a Sentence: The weary travelers finally reached their destination after a long journey.
9. Fatigued
Meaning: Experiencing extreme tiredness or physical exhaustion.
In a Sentence: The long hours of hiking had left them feeling fatigued but fulfilled.
10. Spent
Meaning: Completely used up or exhausted, often after expending all one’s energy.
In a Sentence: After a day of cleaning the entire house, she felt completely spent.
11. Dog-tired
Meaning: Extremely tired, as tired as a dog that has been running or working hard.
In a Sentence: After a full day of yard work, he was dog-tired and ready for a good night’s sleep.
12. Bone-tired
Meaning: So tired that even your bones ache; an extreme level of fatigue.
In a Sentence: After the long hike, she was bone-tired and couldn’t take another step.
13. Dead tired
Meaning: Utterly and completely exhausted, to the point of feeling lifeless.
In a Sentence: After the all-nighter, he was dead tired and couldn’t keep his eyes open.
14. Out of gas
Meaning: Having no energy or stamina left, feeling completely depleted.
In a Sentence: After the long bike ride, he was out of gas and couldn’t pedal any farther.
15. Running on empty
Meaning: Operating with very little energy or resources left, often in a depleted state.
In a Sentence: After a busy workweek, she was running on empty and needed a weekend to recharge.
16. At the end of one’s rope
Meaning: Feeling exhausted and mentally drained, as if you’ve reached your limit.
In a Sentence: After dealing with constant stress, she was at the end of her rope and needed a break.
17. At the end of one’s tether
Meaning: Feeling completely worn out and mentally fatigued.
In a Sentence: The demanding project had left him at the end of his tether; he needed some time off.
18. Frazzled
Meaning: Feeling mentally and emotionally drained, often due to stress or anxiety.
In a Sentence: The challenging exam had left her feeling frazzled and in need of relaxation.
19. Bushed
Meaning: Extremely tired, often after a physically demanding activity.
In a Sentence: After a day of hiking in the mountains, they were bushed and ready for a rest.
20. Ragged
Meaning: Feeling physically and emotionally worn out, often due to stress or hardship.
In a Sentence: The constant pressure at work had left him feeling ragged and overwhelmed.
21. Tuckered out
Meaning: Completely exhausted, especially after a strenuous or tiring task.
In a Sentence: After the long day at the amusement park, the kids were tuckered out.
22. Bone-weary
Meaning: Feeling utterly exhausted, as if your bones are heavy and tired.
In a Sentence: After the grueling workout, she was bone-weary but satisfied with her progress.
23. Ready to drop
Meaning: So tired that you’re on the verge of collapsing or falling asleep.
In a Sentence: After the long flight, he was ready to drop and couldn’t wait to get to his hotel.
24. Sleep-deprived
Meaning: Exhausted due to a lack of sleep or insufficient rest.
In a Sentence: She was sleep-deprived after staying up all night to finish her project.
25. Listless
Meaning: Lacking energy or enthusiasm, often due to extreme tiredness.
In a Sentence: The long day had left her feeling listless and uninterested in any activities.
26. Enervated
Meaning: Feeling drained of energy or vitality, often due to prolonged stress or exertion.
In a Sentence: The stressful week had left him feeling enervated and in need of relaxation.
27. Knackered
Meaning: Exhausted, often used informally to express extreme tiredness.
In a Sentence: After the strenuous workout, they were absolutely knackered.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Quiz 1:
- What does the idiom “Burned out” mean?
a) Feeling energized
b) Mentally and physically exhausted
c) Excited about work
Quiz 2:
- When someone is “Dog-tired,” what are they like?
a) Energetic
b) Extremely tired, like a hardworking dog
c) Well-rested
Quiz 3:
- What does the idiom “At the end of one’s rope” indicate?
a) Having plenty of energy
b) Feeling completely worn out and mentally drained
c) Being at the top of one’s game
Quiz 4:
- If someone is “Running on empty,” what does it mean?
a) Having unlimited energy
b) Operating with very little energy or resources left
c) Being fully rested
Quiz 5:
- What is the meaning of the idiom “Listless”?
a) Full of energy and enthusiasm
b) Lacking energy or enthusiasm, often due to extreme tiredness
c) Feeling bored
Quiz 6:
- When someone is “Dead tired,” how do they feel?
a) Energetic and lively
b) Completely exhausted, to the point of feeling lifeless
c) Slightly tired
Quiz 7:
- What does the idiom “Bone-tired” suggest about a person’s exhaustion level?
a) Feeling just a bit tired
b) So tired that even their bones ache; an extreme level of fatigue
c) Completely rested
Quiz 8:
- What does the term “Sleep-deprived” mean?
a) Having a good night’s sleep
b) Exhausted due to a lack of sleep or insufficient rest
c) Being well-rested
Quiz 9:
- If someone is “Frazzled,” what have they likely experienced?
a) A relaxing day
b) Feeling mentally and emotionally drained, often due to stress or anxiety
c) High energy levels
Quiz 10:
- What does the idiom “Bushed” indicate about a person’s condition?
a) Feeling energetic and ready to go
b) Extremely tired, often after a physically demanding activity
c) Being well-prepared
Answers:
- b) Mentally and physically exhausted
- b) Extremely tired, like a hardworking dog
- b) Feeling completely worn out and mentally drained
- b) Operating with very little energy or resources left
- b) Lacking energy or enthusiasm, often due to extreme tiredness
- b) Completely exhausted, to the point of feeling lifeless
- b) So tired that even their bones ache; an extreme level of fatigue
- b) Exhausted due to a lack of sleep or insufficient rest
- b) Feeling mentally and emotionally drained, often due to stress or anxiety
- b) Extremely tired, often after a physically demanding activity
Conclusion
These idioms for extreme tiredness provide colorful ways to describe the feeling of being utterly exhausted. Whether you’ve had a long day at work or engaged in physically demanding activities, these idiomatic expressions can help you express just how tired you are.
