Feeling tired is something we all experience, whether it’s after a long day at school, work, or play. In English, we have many idioms that describe how tired we feel. These phrases help us talk about exhaustion in creative ways. Instead of just saying “I’m tired,” we can use these idioms to make our language more interesting.
In this article, we will explore idioms related to being tired. You’ll learn how to use these idioms in your own conversations. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of how to express tiredness in different ways. Let’s dive in and discover some fun and useful expressions!
Idioms About Tired
1. Run out of steam
Meaning: To lose energy or motivation.
Example Sentence:
- I started my homework strong, but I ran out of steam halfway through.
- We were winning the game, but our team ran out of steam in the last quarter.
Other ways to say: Lost energy, burned out, out of gas.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from old steam-powered trains that slowed down when they ran out of steam.
Usage: Often used when someone starts strong but gets too tired to finish.
2. Burned out
Meaning: Completely exhausted from too much work or stress.
Example Sentence:
- After studying all night for the test, I felt completely burned out.
- My mom works long hours, and she was burned out by Friday.
Other ways to say: Worn out, drained, out of energy.
Fun Fact/Origin: The term comes from fires that burn until there’s nothing left.
Usage: Often used for students, workers, or athletes who overwork themselves.
3. Out like a light
Meaning: To fall asleep quickly and deeply.
Example Sentence:
- After running around all day, I was out like a light the moment I hit the bed.
- My little brother was out like a light after his soccer game.
Other ways to say: Knocked out, dead asleep, fast asleep.
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from turning off a light instantly, just like how someone falls asleep fast.
Usage: Used to describe someone who falls asleep very quickly.
4. Dead on my feet
Meaning: Extremely tired but still standing or moving.
Example Sentence:
- After working at the store all day, I was dead on my feet.
- My dad looked dead on his feet after his long shift.
Other ways to say: Exhausted, barely awake, drained.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase compares a person to a lifeless body that is somehow still standing.
Usage: Often used when someone is too tired to function but has to keep going.
5. Hit the sack
Meaning: To go to bed.
Example Sentence:
- I was so sleepy that I hit the sack right after dinner.
- After a long day at the amusement park, we all hit the sack early.
Other ways to say: Go to sleep, crash, turn in.
Fun Fact/Origin: In the past, people used sacks filled with straw as mattresses.
Usage: Commonly used when someone is heading to bed after a tiring day.
6. Running on fumes
Meaning: To keep going even when you have almost no energy left.
Example Sentence:
- I only got three hours of sleep, so I’m running on fumes today.
- By the end of the school day, I was running on fumes.
Other ways to say: Almost out of energy, barely hanging on, exhausted.
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from cars that keep moving even when they are almost out of gas.
Usage: Used when someone is very tired but still pushing through.
7. Dog-tired
Meaning: Extremely tired.
Example Sentence:
- After helping my uncle move, I was dog-tired.
- We played outside all day and came home dog-tired.
Other ways to say: Worn out, drained, beat.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase likely comes from how tired working dogs get after running all day.
Usage: Often used to describe exhaustion from physical activity.
8. Worn to a frazzle
Meaning: Completely exhausted and overwhelmed.
Example Sentence:
- After studying for my exams all week, I was worn to a frazzle.
- My mom looked worn to a frazzle after a busy day at work.
Other ways to say: Burned out, overworked, exhausted.
Fun Fact/Origin: “Frazzle” means to wear something out until it’s nearly falling apart.
Usage: Used when someone is both physically and mentally drained.
9. Beat
Meaning: Very tired.
Example Sentence:
- I was so beat after soccer practice that I fell asleep on the couch.
- After shopping all day, we were totally beat.
Other ways to say: Exhausted, wiped out, drained.
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “beat” can mean to hit something repeatedly, just like tiredness can wear someone down.
Usage: A casual way to say you’re extremely tired.
10. Ready to drop
Meaning: So tired that you feel like you might fall down.
Example Sentence:
- After helping at the school fair all day, I was ready to drop.
- I stayed up too late, and now I feel ready to drop.
Other ways to say: About to collapse, dead on my feet, wiped out.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from the idea of someone being so exhausted they can barely stand.
Usage: Often used when someone has been working or moving all day.
11. Dead tired
Meaning: Extremely exhausted.
Example Sentence:
- I was dead tired after our class field trip.
- My brother looked dead tired after football practice.
Other ways to say: Wiped out, totally exhausted, drained.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase compares someone’s tiredness to being lifeless.
Usage: Used when someone feels completely out of energy.
12. Sleep like a log
Meaning: To sleep very deeply.
Example Sentence:
- I was so tired that I slept like a log last night.
- After the long road trip, we all slept like logs.
Other ways to say: Sleep deeply, out like a light, fast asleep.
Fun Fact/Origin: A log doesn’t move, just like a person in a deep sleep.
Usage: Used to describe someone who sleeps very soundly.
13. Wiped out
Meaning: Completely exhausted.
Example Sentence:
- I was wiped out after my swim lesson.
- We played basketball all afternoon, and I felt totally wiped out.
Other ways to say: Drained, dead tired, beat.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase originally meant “completely erased,” similar to how tiredness can wipe out your energy.
Usage: Used after doing something very tiring.
14. Bone-tired
Meaning: So tired that you feel it deep in your body.
Example Sentence:
- My dad was bone-tired after working late all week.
- I felt bone-tired after hiking all day.
Other ways to say: Dog-tired, dead tired, worn out.
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase suggests tiredness so deep that it reaches the bones.
Usage: Used when someone is beyond normal tiredness.
15. Too tired to think
Meaning: So exhausted that it’s hard to focus.
Example Sentence:
- I stayed up too late, and now I’m too tired to think.
- After a long day, my brain was too tired to think.
Other ways to say: Brain is fried, mentally drained, worn out.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase describes the feeling of exhaustion affecting the ability to concentrate.
Usage: Used when someone is mentally exhausted, not just physically tired.
16. Dragging my feet
Meaning: Moving slowly because of tiredness or lack of energy.
Example Sentence:
- I stayed up too late, so I was dragging my feet all morning.
- After gym class, we were all dragging our feet to the next lesson.
Other ways to say: Moving slow, sluggish, out of energy.
Fun Fact/Origin: When someone is very tired, they often walk slowly, with their feet barely lifting off the ground.
Usage: Often used when someone is too tired to move quickly.
17. Feeling drained
Meaning: Completely out of energy.
Example Sentence:
- After studying all day, I was feeling drained.
- My dad was feeling drained after mowing the lawn in the heat.
Other ways to say: Worn out, exhausted, wiped out.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from the idea of liquid being drained from a container, just like energy being drained from a person.
Usage: Used when someone feels physically or mentally exhausted.
18. Tuckered out
Meaning: Extremely tired.
Example Sentence:
- My little sister was tuckered out after playing outside all afternoon.
- We were tuckered out after our long hike.
Other ways to say: Worn out, dog-tired, exhausted.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from an old American word, “tucker,” which means to use up energy.
Usage: Often used for kids or pets who get tired after playing.
19. Spent
Meaning: Completely used up, with no energy left.
Example Sentence:
- I was totally spent after my basketball game.
- After cleaning the house all morning, Mom looked spent.
Other ways to say: Worn out, drained, out of energy.
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “spent” usually refers to money that has been used up, but here it means energy that is gone.
Usage: Used when someone has no energy left at all.
20. Eyes like lead
Meaning: Eyes feeling heavy from tiredness.
Example Sentence:
- I was so sleepy that my eyes felt like lead.
- After watching movies all night, I had eyes like lead.
Other ways to say: Heavy-eyed, droopy-eyed, struggling to stay awake.
Fun Fact/Origin: Lead is a very heavy metal, so this phrase compares tired eyes to carrying extra weight.
Usage: Used when someone is so sleepy that their eyes are hard to keep open.
21. Half-asleep
Meaning: So tired that you feel like you’re almost sleeping.
Example Sentence:
- I was half-asleep during my morning class.
- My brother was half-asleep at breakfast after staying up too late.
Other ways to say: Groggy, drowsy, barely awake.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase describes the feeling of being in between being awake and asleep.
Usage: Used when someone is so tired that they can barely keep their eyes open.
22. Like a zombie
Meaning: Moving slowly and looking very tired.
Example Sentence:
- After waking up early, I felt like a zombie all morning.
- My dad looked like a zombie after his night shift.
Other ways to say: Sleepy, out of it, exhausted.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from zombie movies, where zombies walk slowly and seem lifeless.
Usage: Used when someone is moving and acting very sluggishly due to tiredness.
23. Can’t keep my eyes open
Meaning: So sleepy that it’s hard to stay awake.
Example Sentence:
- I was so tired during the movie that I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
- After staying up past midnight, I couldn’t keep my eyes open in class.
Other ways to say: Struggling to stay awake, drowsy, fighting sleep.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase describes the natural feeling of eyelids getting heavy when tired.
Usage: Used when someone is trying to stay awake but struggling.
24. Hit the hay
Meaning: To go to bed.
Example Sentence:
- I was really tired, so I decided to hit the hay early.
- After a long road trip, we hit the hay as soon as we got home.
Other ways to say: Go to sleep, turn in, hit the sack.
Fun Fact/Origin: In the past, people used hay-filled mattresses to sleep on, so “hitting the hay” meant going to bed.
Usage: Used when someone is ready to go to sleep.
25. Knocked out
Meaning: To fall asleep quickly and deeply.
Example Sentence:
- After my swim practice, I was knocked out as soon as I lay down.
- My little brother was knocked out in the car ride home.
Other ways to say: Out like a light, fast asleep, dead to the world.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from boxing, where a “knockout” happens when a fighter is hit so hard they lose consciousness.
Usage: Used when someone falls into a deep sleep quickly.
26. Running on empty
Meaning: Continuing to function despite being extremely tired.
Example Sentence:
- I stayed up late doing homework, so I was running on empty all day.
- After a long week, my dad said he was running on empty.
Other ways to say: Out of energy, drained, running on fumes.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from cars running with an almost empty fuel tank.
Usage: Used when someone is pushing through exhaustion.
27. Dead to the world
Meaning: Sleeping very deeply.
Example Sentence:
- After our camping trip, I was dead to the world all night.
- My sister was dead to the world and didn’t even hear her alarm.
Other ways to say: Fast asleep, out cold, sleeping like a log.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase means someone is so deeply asleep that they are unaware of anything around them.
Usage: Used when someone is in a deep, undisturbed sleep.
28. Feeling sluggish
Meaning: Moving slowly due to tiredness.
Example Sentence:
- I was feeling sluggish after staying up late.
- My dog was feeling sluggish after a long walk in the heat.
Other ways to say: Slow, drained, dragging.
Fun Fact/Origin: “Sluggish” comes from the word “slug,” a creature that moves very slowly.
Usage: Used when someone feels slow and low on energy.
29. Worn out
Meaning: Very tired, either physically or mentally.
Example Sentence:
- I was worn out after playing basketball all afternoon.
- After grocery shopping and cooking, Mom was completely worn out.
Other ways to say: Exhausted, drained, wiped out.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase means something is used so much that it becomes useless, just like when people overwork themselves.
Usage: Used when someone has little to no energy left.
30. Crashing
Meaning: Suddenly becoming very tired or falling asleep.
Example Sentence:
- After eating dinner, I started crashing from exhaustion.
- I was full of energy earlier, but now I’m crashing.
Other ways to say: Losing energy, shutting down, dozing off.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from the idea of something suddenly breaking or falling apart.
Usage: Used when someone suddenly becomes extremely tired.
31. Dead beat
Meaning: Completely exhausted.
Example Sentence:
- After running errands all day, I was dead beat.
- My teacher looked dead beat after a long school day.
Other ways to say: Beat, wiped out, worn to a frazzle.
Fun Fact/Origin: “Dead beat” was used in the 1800s to describe people too exhausted to continue.
Usage: Used when someone is totally drained.
32. Drowsy
Meaning: Feeling sleepy and struggling to stay awake.
Example Sentence:
- The warm classroom made me feel drowsy.
- My little brother was drowsy on the way home from the zoo.
Other ways to say: Sleepy, groggy, half-asleep.
Fun Fact/Origin: This word comes from “drowse,” meaning to doze off or sleep lightly.
Usage: Used when someone feels like they are about to fall asleep.
33. No gas left in the tank
Meaning: No energy left.
Example Sentence:
- By the end of practice, I had no gas left in the tank.
- Mom said she had no gas left in the tank after a busy day at work.
Other ways to say: Running on fumes, spent, drained.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from cars running out of fuel.
Usage: Used when someone is so tired that they can’t continue.
34. Bushed
Meaning: Very tired.
Example Sentence:
- I was bushed after spending all day at the amusement park.
- Grandpa said he was bushed and needed a nap.
Other ways to say: Worn out, exhausted, beat.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase may come from “bushwhacked,” meaning physically worn out from traveling through thick bushes.
Usage: A casual way to say someone is very tired.
35. Dozing off
Meaning: Falling asleep for short periods, often without meaning to.
Example Sentence:
- I kept dozing off during the long movie.
- My dad was dozing off on the couch after dinner.
Other ways to say: Nodding off, drifting off, falling asleep.
Fun Fact/Origin: “Doze” means to sleep lightly or briefly.
Usage: Used when someone is so tired they keep falling asleep for short moments.
36. Droopy-eyed
Meaning: Having heavy eyelids from tiredness.
Example Sentence:
- I was so tired that I felt droopy-eyed in class.
- My little brother looked droopy-eyed after a long car ride.
Other ways to say: Heavy-eyed, struggling to stay awake, sleepy.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase describes how eyes naturally start to close when a person is very tired.
Usage: Used when someone is too tired to keep their eyes open.
37. Brain is fried
Meaning: Too tired to think clearly.
Example Sentence:
- After studying for hours, my brain was fried.
- I was so tired after school that my brain felt fried.
Other ways to say: Too tired to think, mentally drained, out of it.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase compares an overworked brain to something burned in a frying pan.
Usage: Used when someone is mentally exhausted, not just physically tired.
38. Running ragged
Meaning: So busy and tired that you feel worn down.
Example Sentence:
- My mom was running ragged trying to finish all her errands.
- I was running ragged after back-to-back soccer games.
Other ways to say: Exhausted, overworked, stretched too thin.
Fun Fact/Origin: “Ragged” means torn and worn out, just like how someone feels when overworked.
Usage: Used when someone is exhausted from doing too much.
39. Fast asleep
Meaning: Sleeping very deeply.
Example Sentence:
- I was fast asleep and didn’t hear the storm outside.
- My cat was fast asleep on the couch.
Other ways to say: Out like a light, dead to the world, sleeping like a log.
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “fast” originally meant “firmly,” meaning someone is deeply asleep.
Usage: Used when someone is in a deep sleep.
40. About to crash
Meaning: So tired that you are close to falling asleep.
Example Sentence:
- I was about to crash after staying up too late.
- My brother said he was about to crash after baseball practice.
Other ways to say: Ready to drop, dead tired, wiped out.
Fun Fact/Origin: “Crash” suggests a sudden loss of energy, like a computer shutting down.
Usage: Used when someone is so exhausted they are about to fall asleep.
41. Out like a light
Meaning: Falling asleep very quickly.
Example Sentence:
- I was out like a light as soon as I lay down.
- After the long road trip, we were all out like a light.
Other ways to say: Fast asleep, knocked out, dead to the world.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase compares falling asleep to turning off a light—sudden and complete.
Usage: Used when someone falls asleep instantly.
42. Shutting down
Meaning: Slowly losing energy and getting ready to sleep.
Example Sentence:
- After a long day, I could feel myself shutting down.
- My little brother was shutting down on the couch before bedtime.
Other ways to say: About to crash, running on empty, dozing off.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from electronics, which “shut down” when they stop working.
Usage: Used when someone is slowing down due to tiredness.
43. Brain fog
Meaning: Feeling mentally slow due to tiredness.
Example Sentence:
- I had brain fog after staying up too late.
- My teacher said she had brain fog from grading so many papers.
Other ways to say: Mentally drained, out of it, can’t think straight.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase compares a tired brain to foggy weather—unclear and hard to navigate.
Usage: Used when someone struggles to think clearly due to exhaustion.
44. Punch-drunk
Meaning: Acting silly or confused because of extreme tiredness.
Example Sentence:
- We were punch-drunk after staying up all night at the sleepover.
- I felt punch-drunk after studying for hours without a break.
Other ways to say: Loopy, out of it, the brain is fried.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from boxing, where fighters who take too many hits become dizzy and confused.
Usage: Used when someone is so tired that they start acting strangely.
45. Hit the sack
Meaning: To go to bed.
Example Sentence:
- I was really tired, so I decided to hit the sack early.
- After the party, we all hit the sack right away.
Other ways to say: Go to bed, turn in, hit the hay.
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from when people used sacks filled with straw as mattresses.
Usage: Used when someone is ready to sleep.
Quiz: Idioms About Tired
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. If someone says, “I’m running on empty,” what do they mean?
A) They are feeling really hungry.
B) They are very tired and have no energy left.
C) They are out of gas in their car.
2. What does it mean if someone is “out like a light”?
A) They turned off all the lights in their house.
B) They fell asleep very quickly.
C) They are feeling sad.
3. If a person says, “I’m dragging my feet,” what are they feeling?
A) Excited and full of energy.
B) Tired and moving slowly.
C) Nervous about something.
4. What does “dead to the world” mean?
A) Someone is sleeping very deeply.
B) Someone is feeling sad.
C) Someone is pretending to be asleep.
5. If someone says they are “feeling drained,” what are they describing?
A) They are really thirsty.
B) They have no energy left.
C) They need to charge their phone.
6. What does “hitting the hay” mean?
A) Going to bed.
B) Running through a field.
C) Cleaning up a mess.
7. If your friend says, “My brain is fried,” what do they mean?
A) Their brain feels tired from thinking too much.
B) They are really hungry.
C) They are feeling excited.
8. What does “running ragged” mean?
A) Being very tired from doing too much.
B) Running around in circles.
C) Playing a game with friends.
9. If someone says, “I’m about to crash,” what do they mean?
A) They are going to fall asleep soon.
B) They are about to hit something with their car.
C) They are really hungry.
10. What does “wiped out” mean?
A) Feeling very tired and exhausted.
B) Cleaning up a mess.
C) Forgetting something important.
Answer Key
- B – They are very tired and have no energy left.
- B – They fell asleep very quickly.
- B – Tired and moving slowly.
- A – Someone is sleeping very deeply.
- B – They have no energy left.
- A – Going to bed.
- A – Their brain feels tired from thinking too much.
- A – Being very tired from doing too much.
- A – They are going to fall asleep soon.
- A – Feeling very tired and exhausted.
Wrapping Up
Learning idioms about being tired can help you express how you feel in fun and creative ways. Whether you’re saying you’re “running on empty” or “about to crash,” these phrases can make conversations more interesting. Now that you’ve learned some common tired idioms, try using them next time you’re feeling sleepy or worn out.
Remember, idioms are a fun way to make language more colorful. Practice using them, and soon they’ll feel like second nature! Keep exploring new idioms, and you’ll be a pro at understanding and using them in no time.
