Fatigue affects a significant portion of the population, with studies indicating that over 20% of adults globally report persistent tiredness. For instance, research published in the *Journal of Psychosomatic Research* found that prolonged fatigue correlates with reduced cognitive performance by an average of 15-20%. I offers 40 distinct similes to articulate of being tired.
Short Similes for Tired
Tired as a wrung-out sponge
Meaning: Completely drained of energy, having given all one has.
Example: After the marathon, she felt tired as a wrung-out sponge.
Tired as a dimmed star
Meaning: Lacking usual brightness or vitality.
Example: His eyes, usually sparkling, were tired as a dimmed star.
Tired as a frayed rope
Meaning: Weakened and close to breaking from strain.
Example: By Friday evening, the intern was tired as a frayed rope.
Tired as a spent matchstick
Meaning: Having burned out all available energy; consumed.
Example: He collapsed onto the sofa, tired as a spent matchstick.
Extended Similes for Tired
Tired as an ancient manuscript whose ink has faded into near illegibility
Meaning: So exhausted that one’s thoughts or presence feel faint and indistinct.
Example: After weeks of little sleep, his focus was tired as an ancient manuscript whose ink has faded into near illegibility.
Tired as a deep well from which the last bucket of water has just been drawn
Meaning: Feeling completely emptied of resources, both physical and mental.
Example: The crisis left the emergency worker tired as a deep well from which the last bucket of water has just been drawn.
Tired as a shoreline constantly eroded by an insistent tide
Meaning: Worn down gradually but relentlessly by persistent demands or stress.
Example: Years of caregiving made her feel tired as a shoreline constantly eroded by an insistent tide.
Tired as a sculptor’s chisel after shaping a monument from granite
Meaning: Exhausted from prolonged, intensive effort that required precision and strength.
Example: Completing the complex project left the lead engineer tired as a sculptor’s chisel after shaping a monument from granite.
Similes for Tired in Literature (Inspired by Literary Styles)
Tired as a lone lighthouse keeper after a week of ceaseless storms
Meaning: Exhausted from prolonged vigilance and responsibility in isolation. (Inspired by maritime narratives)
Example: Manning the support line alone, he felt tired as a lone lighthouse keeper after a week of ceaseless storms.
Tired as the final note of a long, sorrowful symphony
Meaning: A profound, lingering exhaustion tinged with melancholy. (Inspired by musical or poetic descriptions of emotion)
Example: The news settled upon her, leaving her tired as the final note of a long, sorrowful symphony.
Tired as a desert pathway under the relentless midday sun
Meaning: Utterly depleted and exposed, with no respite in sight. (Inspired by classic journey narratives)
Example: Facing another set of revisions, the author felt tired as a desert pathway under the relentless midday sun.
Tired as an old scholar’s eyes poring over forgotten lore by candlelight
Meaning: A deep weariness from intense mental concentration and strain. (Inspired by historical or fantasy literature)
Example: After hours of deciphering the code, she was tired as an old scholar’s eyes poring over forgotten lore by candlelight.
Similes for Tired (General)
Tired as a wind-up toy that’s fully unwound
Meaning: Having no more stored energy to continue.
Example: The children played until they were tired as wind-up toys that are fully unwound.
Tired as a mobile phone battery at 1%
Meaning: Critically low on energy and about to shut down.
Example: After the long flight, he felt tired as a mobile phone battery at 1%.
Tired as a riverbed in a drought
Meaning: Parched and depleted of vital flow.
Example: Her creativity felt tired as a riverbed in a drought.
Tired as a flag after a month in high winds
Meaning: Worn and tattered from constant buffeting.
Example: The relentless questioning left him tired as a flag after a month in high winds.
Tired as an echo fading in a vast cavern
Meaning: Becoming progressively weaker and less distinct.
Example: His voice, by the end of the lecture, was tired as an echo fading in a vast cavern.
Tired as a path beaten smooth by too many feet
Meaning: Worn down by overuse and constant traffic.
Example: The nurse’s patience was tired as a path beaten smooth by too many feet.
Tired as a lock rusted shut
Meaning: Stiff, unyielding, and difficult to move or motivate.
Example: His limbs felt tired as a lock rusted shut after the climb.
Tired as a joke told one too many times
Meaning: Lacking freshness, energy, or impact.
Example: His enthusiasm for the project was tired as a joke told one too many times.
Tired as a single thread holding a heavy weight
Meaning: Strained to the absolute limit, on the verge of snapping.
Example: Her composure was tired as a single thread holding a heavy weight.
Tired as melting snow in spring
Meaning: Gradually losing substance and form, slumping.
Example: He slumped into the chair, tired as melting snow in spring.
Tired as a screen with burn-in
Meaning: Having a persistent afterimage of effort or strain; unable to refresh.
Example: Her mind felt tired as a screen with burn-in, replaying the day’s events.
Tired as a spring stretched beyond its limit
Meaning: Having lost all elasticity and ability to bounce back.
Example: After consecutive double shifts, she was tired as a spring stretched beyond its limit.
Tired as a forgotten tune on a dusty piano
Meaning: Muted, unused, and somewhat melancholic.
Example: His ambition felt tired as a forgotten tune on a dusty piano.
Tired as a dictionary that’s defined everything
Meaning: Feeling completely used up, having explained or processed too much.
Example: After mediating the dispute, the manager was tired as a dictionary that’s defined everything.
Tired as a gardener’s hands after a day of weeding
Meaning: Aching and worn from physical labor.
Example: He looked at his calloused palms, feeling tired as a gardener’s hands after a day of weeding.
Tired as a foundation bearing too much weight
Meaning: Strained by excessive burden or responsibility.
Example: The team leader felt tired as a foundation bearing too much weight before the deadline.
Tired as a sun-bleached photograph
Meaning: Faded, lacking original vibrancy and color.
Example: Her initial excitement was now tired as a sun-bleached photograph.
Tired as an old map refolded too many times
Meaning: Worn along the creases, delicate and fragile.
Example: His resolve, tested repeatedly, was tired as an old map refolded too many times.
Tired as a ship’s anchor after a long voyage
Meaning: Heavy, settled, and resistant to movement.
Example: He sank into the bed, tired as a ship’s anchor after a long voyage.
Tired as a clockwork mechanism needing oil
Meaning: Grinding, slow, and inefficient due to lack of replenishment.
Example: His thought process was tired as a clockwork mechanism needing oil.
Tired as a harvest field post-reaping
Meaning: Bare, spent, having yielded all its produce.
Example: After the product launch, the entire team felt tired as a harvest field post-reaping.
Tired as a shadow at dusk
Meaning: Lengthening, fading, and losing definition.
Example: His presence in the meeting was tired as a shadow at dusk.
Tired as blotting paper soaked with ink
Meaning: Saturated and unable to absorb any more.
Example: Her brain felt tired as blotting paper soaked with ink after the exam.
Tired as a well-worn coin, its features smoothed away
Meaning: Having lost distinctness or sharpness through overuse.
Example: His arguments became tired as a well-worn coin, its features smoothed away.
Tired as a loom after weaving a vast tapestry
Meaning: Exhausted from a long, complex, and intricate task.
Example: Finishing her dissertation left her tired as a loom after weaving a vast tapestry.
Tired as the last ember in a dying fire
Meaning: Faintly glowing, about to be extinguished completely.
Example: His hope was tired as the last ember in a dying fire.
Tired as a performer after a standing ovation
Meaning: Positively drained but fulfilled, having given an exceptional effort.
Example: She was exhilarated yet tired as a performer after a standing ovation.
Tired as a pilgrim at the end of a long journey
Meaning: Profoundly weary but having reached a significant goal.
Example: Completing his final treatment, he felt tired as a pilgrim at the end of a long journey.
