What does wearied mean?
Wearied means feeling tired or exhausted, especially after a demanding journey, a long period of activity, or repeated experience. The word can describe a person, an expression, a voice, or another sign of fatigue: a wearied traveller, a wearied sigh, or a team wearied by the climb. It often suggests more than ordinary tiredness, implying that effort, difficulty, or repetition has reduced someone’s energy and stamina. Wearied can also be used in a participial construction such as “wearied by the noise,” where the cause of the exhaustion is emphasized. Although “wearied” and “weary” overlap closely in meaning, “weary” is the base adjective, while “wearied” is its inflected form and is especially natural when describing the result of an experience. The word is used in British and American English and is useful for vivid, expressive writing.
Feeling or showing tiredness, especially after exertion, travel, or repetition.
"She looked wearied after hours of answering questions."
Often used attributively or after “by” to identify the cause of the fatigue.
Past tense and past participle of “weary,” meaning to make someone tired or worn out.
"The repetitive lecture wearied the audience."
The verb form is literary and is most often encountered in the construction “wearied by.”
Wearied is the feeling you reach after the journey is over—but before you have found the energy to enjoy the view.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wearied come from?
Wearied comes from the English adjective “weary” and the verb “weary,” both of which derive from the Old English word wērig, meaning “tired” or “exhausted.” The modern form reflects the regular development of English verb inflection, with the -ed ending marking a past form or participle. The word belongs to a Germanic vocabulary associated with tiredness, while related forms such as weariness and wearisome developed from the same English root.
How wearied is actually used
Wearied is common in both formal and informal English, although it often has a somewhat literary or descriptive tone. It can describe physical fatigue, emotional exhaustion, or the effects of prolonged repetition.
Easily confused with wearied
Weary is the standard adjective meaning tired; wearied is its inflected form, often used as a participle or to describe someone exhausted by an experience.
Wary means cautious or alert to possible danger, whereas wearied means tired from exertion or experience.