30 Idioms for Tired

Feeling tired is a universal experience—after a long day, a tough week, or simply not enough sleep. In English, there are many vivid idioms and expressions that capture the different shades of being tired, from a little worn out to completely exhausted. These idioms not only make your language more colorful, but they also help you connect more naturally with native speakers.

This post presents 30 idioms for tired, complete with meanings, example sentences, and alternative ways to express each idea. Perfect for ESL learners, teachers, and anyone looking to enrich their vocabulary in an engaging and memorable way.

Idioms List

1. Beat

• Meaning: Extremely tired.
• Example: After the 12-hour shift, I was completely beat.
• Alternatives: Exhausted, worn out

2. Worn out

• Meaning: Drained of energy; very tired.
• Example: He felt worn out after helping his friend move all weekend.
• Alternatives: Drained, tired out

3. Dead tired

• Meaning: Totally exhausted.
• Example: She was dead tired after the marathon.
• Alternatives: Bone-tired, completely spent

4. Dog-tired

• Meaning: Very tired (like a working dog).
• Example: I was dog-tired after chasing the kids around all day.
• Alternatives: Pooped, beat

5. Run down

• Meaning: Feeling weak or tired, often from stress or overwork.
• Example: He’s been looking run down lately—maybe he needs a break.
• Alternatives: Drained, worn

6. Bone-tired

• Meaning: So tired it feels like it’s in your bones.
• Example: She was bone-tired after back-to-back meetings.
• Alternatives: Dead tired, completely wiped

7. Ready to drop

• Meaning: So tired you could collapse.
• Example: By the end of the hike, I was ready to drop.
• Alternatives: About to pass out, totally done in

8. Wiped out

• Meaning: Exhausted or out of energy.
• Example: That workout really wiped me out.
• Alternatives: Drained, zonked

9. Running on fumes

• Meaning: Continuing to function with almost no energy left.
• Example: I’m running on fumes—I didn’t sleep at all last night.
• Alternatives: Barely hanging on, out of steam

10. Burned out

• Meaning: Mentally and physically exhausted from prolonged stress or work.
• Example: After months of overtime, he was completely burned out.
• Alternatives: Fed up, worn down

11. Out like a light

• Meaning: Fell asleep immediately due to tiredness.
• Example: As soon as she hit the bed, she was out like a light.
• Alternatives: Fast asleep, knocked out

12. All in

• Meaning: Completely exhausted.
• Example: He was all in after helping with the event all day.
• Alternatives: Spent, worn out

13. Dead on your feet

• Meaning: Extremely tired but still going.
• Example: By the end of her shift, she was dead on her feet.
• Alternatives: Running on fumes, barely standing

14. Too pooped to pop

• Meaning: So tired you can’t do anything else.
• Example: I was too pooped to pop after gardening all afternoon.
• Alternatives: Wiped out, dog-tired

15. Hit the wall

• Meaning: Suddenly become too tired to continue.
• Example: I hit the wall around 2 a.m. and couldn’t focus anymore.
• Alternatives: Burned out, out of energy

16. Feeling drained

• Meaning: Completely out of energy, often emotionally or physically.
• Example: After the presentation, I was feeling drained.
• Alternatives: Exhausted, depleted

17. Knackered (British English)

• Meaning: Extremely tired.
• Example: I’m absolutely knackered after that hike.
• Alternatives: Beat, worn out

18. Hit the sack

• Meaning: To go to bed.
• Example: I’m so tired, I’m going to hit the sack early tonight.
• Alternatives: Turn in, crash

19. Crash

• Meaning: To fall asleep suddenly due to tiredness.
• Example: He crashed on the couch after work.
• Alternatives: Pass out, conk out

20. Conk out

• Meaning: To fall asleep or stop functioning from exhaustion.
• Example: I conked out as soon as I got home.
• Alternatives: Knocked out, zonked

21. Wiped

• Meaning: Very tired or exhausted.
• Example: I’m completely wiped after finals week.
• Alternatives: Spent, worn out

22. Spent

• Meaning: Used up all energy.
• Example: By the end of the week, I felt totally spent.
• Alternatives: Drained, exhausted

23. Zonked out

• Meaning: Fell asleep very quickly due to tiredness.
• Example: He zonked out the moment his head hit the pillow.
• Alternatives: Out like a light, conked out

24. Sapped

• Meaning: Weakened or drained of strength or energy.
• Example: The long meeting sapped my energy.
• Alternatives: Drained, worn down

25. Dozy

• Meaning: Sleepy or half-asleep.
• Example: I felt dozy after lunch.
• Alternatives: Groggy, drowsy

26. Groggy

• Meaning: Dazed or sluggish, often from tiredness or just waking up.
• Example: She felt groggy after staying up too late.
• Alternatives: Dozy, foggy-headed

27. Dragging

• Meaning: Moving slowly due to tiredness.
• Example: I’m really dragging today after staying up late.
• Alternatives: Sluggish, slow-moving

28. Like a zombie

• Meaning: Moving or acting without energy or awareness, like a zombie.
• Example: I was like a zombie after staying up all night.
• Alternatives: Sleepwalking, out of it

29. Slack off

• Meaning: To reduce effort, often due to tiredness or burnout.
• Example: He started to slack off near the end of the day.
• Alternatives: Ease up, slow down

30. Hit the hay

• Meaning: To go to bed (informal).
• Example: I’m ready to hit the hay—it’s been a long day.
• Alternatives: Hit the sack, call it a night

📝 Practice Exercise: Idioms for Tired

Part 1: Fill in the Blank

1. After working two shifts in a row, she was completely __.
2. I was __ after only five hours of sleep and a full day at school.
3. He __ on the couch before the movie even started.
4. I’ve been feeling really __ lately—maybe I need a vacation.
5. I didn’t get much done today; I was just __ all day.

Part 2: Match the Meaning

Match each idiom to its meaning.

A. Hit the sack
B. Burned out
C. Like a zombie
D. Dog-tired
E. Running on fumes

1. Mentally and emotionally exhausted from long-term stress
2. Going to bed
3. So tired you move without energy or awareness
4. Barely functioning with no energy left
5. Extremely tired (like after physical labor)

Part 3: Multiple Choice

6. By the time the kids went to bed, I was __.
   a) wide awake
   b) dead tired
   c) all ears
7. After finals, most students felt __.
   a) pumped up
   b) ready to go
   c) wiped out
8. She was so tired she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow—she was __.
   a) out like a light
   b) on edge
   c) over the moon

✅ Answer Key

Part 1:

1. beat
2. running on fumes
3. crashed
4. run down
5. dragging

Part 2:
A–2, B–1, C–3, D–5, E–4

Part 3:

6. b) dead tired
7. c) wiped out
8. a) out like a light

🌟 Conclusion: Speak Naturally, Even When You’re Tired!

Tiredness is something we all deal with—but expressing it doesn’t have to be boring. These 30 idioms for tired give you vivid, natural ways to describe how you feel, whether you’re “running on fumes” or “dead on your feet.” By using these expressions, you’ll sound more fluent, relatable, and in tune with everyday English.

Try picking 3–5 idioms to start using in your daily conversations or writing. Notice which ones native speakers use in movies, shows, or chats. The more you practice, the more confident and expressive you’ll become.

And remember: it’s okay to be tired—but never too tired to keep learning!