Weary
/ˈwɪri/
adjectiveverbB2
Definition
Weary describes a strong feeling of tiredness or exhaustion after hard work, stress, or long activity. It can be used for both the body and the mind. As a verb, to weary someone means to cause them to feel this tiredness or lose patience.
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See It in Action
Feeling tired and lacking energy (adjective)
- •After working all day, she felt weary and wanted to sit down.
- •The weary hikers stopped to rest before continuing their journey.
- •He looked weary after the long meeting.
To cause tiredness or boredom (verb)
- •The long speech wearied the audience.
- •Hard work can weary even the strongest people.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "weary" like "tired" (A1 word), but stronger—like when you feel very tired after a long day or hard work
- ✓Picture a person slowly walking with heavy eyes and slow steps after a long journey
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to rest deeply because your body or mind feels worn out
- ✓Sounds like "weary" → imagine a weary traveler saying "weary" as a sigh after a long walk
- ✓Think of stories where heroes feel weary after a long battle and need rest before continuing
- ✓NOT like "sleepy" (just ready to sleep), "weary" is deeper tiredness, often with mental stress too
- ✓NOT like "lazy" (not wanting to work), "weary" means tired because of effort, not because of choice
- ✓NOT like "exhausted" (extreme tiredness), "weary" can be less extreme but often includes mental tiredness too
Try Other Words
- •Fatigued: very tired, often after physical effort (Use when emphasizing physical tiredness)
- •Exhausted: extremely tired (Use when tiredness is very strong and complete)
- •Bored: uninterested or tired of something (Use when "weary" means mentally tired or bored)
- •Worn out: very tired or used up (Use in informal situations for both physical and mental tiredness)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: Root "wear" + suffix "-y" (makes adjective meaning "full of" or "characterized by")
- •Etymology: From Old English "werig," meaning tired or worn out
- •Historical development: Used since Old English times to describe physical and mental tiredness
- •Modern usage: Common in both everyday and literary English to describe tiredness and boredom
- •Interesting fact: "Weary" can describe both body and mind tiredness, making it a versatile word
Reflect & Connect
•When do you feel weary in your daily life—after physical work or mental effort? Can you describe the difference?
•How can recognizing weariness help you decide when to rest or take a break?
Fill in the blanks
1.After running for hours, she was weary and needed to ___ immediately.
2.The constant noise and stress made him weary and ___ his patience.
3.Unlike feeling sleepy, being weary means you feel tired both in body and ___.
4.A long, boring lecture can weary the audience and make them lose ___.
5.The weary traveler looked ___ but kept walking to reach his goal.
6.When someone is weary, they often move ___ and speak slowly.
7.Hard work can weary you, but a good rest can help you feel ___ again.