What does tiresome mean?
Tiresome is an adjective describing something that makes a person feel bored, weary, or irritated. Its characteristic use is for experiences that last too long, involve repetition, or demand effort without offering interest or variety. The word is related to tiring, but its emphasis is usually on dullness or monotony rather than physical exhaustion: a long meeting may be tiring because it requires concentration, while a tedious meeting is tiresome because little happens in it. Tiresome can also suggest mild irritation, especially when applied to conversations, procedures, delays, or details that become irritating through repetition. It is common in British and American English and is somewhat more formal than simply saying boring. For example, a tiresome journey involves difficult or tedious travel, while a tiresome task is prolonged and uninteresting. The word is useful when describing not only boredom but also the particular sense of weariness that repeated or unstimulating activities can create.
adjectiveCausing one to feel tired, bored, or weary, especially because something is prolonged, repetitive, or dull.
- Causing boredom, weariness, or irritation because of dullness, repetition, or excessive length.
"The tiresome process of renewing the paperwork took the entire afternoon."
"We spent the afternoon listening to a tiresome lecture about nineteenth-century architecture."
"The delay was tiresome, but the staff continued to update us politely."
The '-some' suffix turns an action into a quality: something tiresome does not merely make you work hard; it makes you weary of the experience.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tiresome come from?
Tiresome was formed in Middle English from tire and the adjective-forming suffix -some. The suffix -some indicates a quality or characteristic, so tiresome originally conveyed the sense of being characterized by tiring or weariness. Its established modern meaning focuses especially on something dull, prolonged, or monotonous, while remaining closely connected to the older root shared with words such as weary and wear.
Related word forms
How tiresome is actually used
Tiresome is used in both British and American English. It is often stronger and more formal than boring, and can describe an experience that is tedious, irritating, or long-lasting.
Easily confused with tiresome
Tiring emphasizes physical or mental exhaustion, whereas tiresome more often suggests something dull, repetitive, or tedious.