Idioms add color and creativity to our everyday conversations, and they’re especially helpful when trying to describe how we feel. One of the most common feelings people express through idioms is being tired—whether it’s from working too much, staying up too late, or just needing a mental break. Using idioms for tired can help you describe exhaustion in fun, dramatic, or even humorous ways. They’re not only useful for daily conversations but also help you sound more natural and fluent when speaking or writing in English.
In this article, you’ll find 45 popular idioms that all express some level of tiredness or fatigue. Each idiom comes with its meaning, a long sample sentence to show how it can be used in context, and a few other ways to say the same thing. Whether you’re drained from school, worn out after a workout, or just needing a nap—these expressions have you covered.
Let’s dive into the wonderful, worn-out world of idioms that say, “I’m tired!”
Idioms for Tired
1. Run out of steam
Meaning: To lose energy or motivation.
In a Sentence: I started the essay with so much energy, but halfway through I completely ran out of steam and couldn’t focus anymore.
Other Ways to Say: Lose energy, Burn out
2. Burned out
Meaning: Completely exhausted, especially from too much work.
In a Sentence: After working 12-hour shifts all week, I was completely burned out and just wanted to sleep for two days straight.
Other Ways to Say: Worn out, Mentally drained
3. Dead tired
Meaning: Extremely tired.
In a Sentence: I was dead tired after that long hike through the mountains and could barely keep my eyes open by the time we got back.
Other Ways to Say: Super exhausted, Bone tired
4. Dog-tired
Meaning: Very tired.
In a Sentence: After running around with my cousins all afternoon, I was dog-tired and ready to crash on the couch.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely tired, Totally wiped out
5. Ready to drop
Meaning: So tired that you feel like you could collapse.
In a Sentence: By the time we finished moving all the boxes, I was ready to drop from pure exhaustion.
Other Ways to Say: About to collapse, Exhausted
6. Out like a light
Meaning: To fall asleep immediately from tiredness.
In a Sentence: The moment my head hit the pillow after the party, I was out like a light and didn’t wake up until morning.
Other Ways to Say: Fell asleep instantly, Knocked out
7. Wiped out
Meaning: Extremely tired, physically or mentally.
In a Sentence: That gym session wiped me out so much I couldn’t even lift my water bottle afterward.
Other Ways to Say: Completely drained, Totally worn out
8. Beat
Meaning: Very tired or exhausted.
In a Sentence: I was totally beat after a long day of shopping with my friends, and I didn’t want to leave the couch.
Other Ways to Say: Tired, Exhausted
9. Bushed
Meaning: Very tired.
In a Sentence: I felt completely bushed after mowing the lawn and washing the car all in one afternoon.
Other Ways to Say: Dead tired, Super worn out
10. Tuckered out
Meaning: Really tired, especially after physical activity.
In a Sentence: The kids were totally tuckered out after playing at the park for three hours straight.
Other Ways to Say: Worn out, Exhausted
11. Running on fumes
Meaning: Continuing with very little energy left.
In a Sentence: I was running on fumes by the last hour of my shift, barely able to stay focused.
Other Ways to Say: Low energy, Almost out of strength
12. Bone-tired
Meaning: Extremely and deeply tired.
In a Sentence: After pulling an all-nighter for finals, I was bone-tired and could feel it in every part of my body.
Other Ways to Say: Dead tired, Drained
13. Can’t keep my eyes open
Meaning: So tired you’re struggling to stay awake.
In a Sentence: During the movie, I was so sleepy I couldn’t keep my eyes open even though it was exciting.
Other Ways to Say: About to fall asleep, Super sleepy
14. Down for the count
Meaning: Out of energy and resting or asleep.
In a Sentence: As soon as he got home, he was down for the count and didn’t wake up till the next morning.
Other Ways to Say: Out cold, Fast asleep
15. Feeling drained
Meaning: Lacking energy or strength.
In a Sentence: I was feeling so drained after work that I didn’t even have the energy to reheat dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Exhausted, Out of energy
16. Hit the sack
Meaning: To go to bed.
In a Sentence: I’ve had a super long day, so I’m going to hit the sack early tonight.
Other Ways to Say: Go to sleep, Turn in
17. Burn the candle at both ends
Meaning: To overwork yourself by sleeping too little.
In a Sentence: If you keep burning the candle at both ends, you’re going to crash soon.
Other Ways to Say: Overdo it, Push yourself too hard
18. Like a zombie
Meaning: Moving or acting very slowly due to tiredness.
In a Sentence: I walked through the morning like a zombie after only getting three hours of sleep.
Other Ways to Say: Half asleep, Groggy
19. Dropping off
Meaning: Starting to fall asleep.
In a Sentence: I was so bored and tired during the lecture that I kept dropping off without meaning to.
Other Ways to Say: Nodding off, Falling asleep
20. Punchy
Meaning: Acting silly or strange due to being overly tired.
In a Sentence: We were so punchy after staying up all night that everything seemed funny to us.
Other Ways to Say: Loopy, Giddy from fatigue
21. Sleep-deprived
Meaning: Lacking sleep for a period of time.
In a Sentence: After several nights of staying up late for work, I was completely sleep-deprived and couldn’t think clearly.
Other Ways to Say: No rest, Very tired
22. About to crash
Meaning: Almost falling asleep or collapsing from tiredness.
In a Sentence: I’m about to crash if I don’t get some rest right now.
Other Ways to Say: Fall asleep soon, Need sleep now
23. Not firing on all cylinders
Meaning: Not thinking or functioning clearly due to being tired.
In a Sentence: I was so tired this morning that my brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders and I poured orange juice in my cereal.
Other Ways to Say: Not fully alert, Mentally foggy
24. Spent
Meaning: Out of energy or resources.
In a Sentence: After that intense workout, I was completely spent and couldn’t even stand up straight.
Other Ways to Say: Depleted, Totally worn out
25. Plumb tuckered
Meaning: Very tired (mostly used in Southern English).
In a Sentence: I’m plumb tuckered from chasing the kids around the house all day.
Other Ways to Say: Exhausted, Totally beat
26. Sleepyhead
Meaning: Someone who’s always tired or sleepy.
In a Sentence: Don’t be such a sleepyhead—get up and start your day!
Other Ways to Say: Drowsy person, Always tired
27. Snooze-fest
Meaning: Something so boring it makes you sleepy.
In a Sentence: That lecture was a total snooze-fest, and I almost nodded off in the middle of it.
Other Ways to Say: Boring event, Yawn-worthy
28. Brain fog
Meaning: Mental tiredness or lack of clarity.
In a Sentence: I’ve been dealing with brain fog all day and can’t even remember where I left my phone.
Other Ways to Say: Mentally tired, Can’t think straight
29. Foggy-headed
Meaning: Having trouble thinking clearly because of tiredness.
In a Sentence: I felt so foggy-headed that even simple math problems seemed like puzzles.
Other Ways to Say: Confused, Mentally slow
30. Falling apart
Meaning: Feeling physically or emotionally worn out.
In a Sentence: I was so stressed and tired from finals week that I felt like I was falling apart.
Other Ways to Say: Breaking down, Burnt out
31. Hit the wall
Meaning: To suddenly feel like you can’t go any further due to exhaustion.
In a Sentence: Halfway through the marathon, I hit the wall and didn’t think I’d be able to take another step.
Other Ways to Say: Reach the limit, Totally spent
32. Catch some Z’s
Meaning: To take a nap or get some sleep.
In a Sentence: I’m going to catch some Z’s before dinner because I didn’t sleep much last night.
Other Ways to Say: Take a nap, Rest a bit
33. Knocked out
Meaning: Fell asleep quickly and deeply.
In a Sentence: After that long road trip, I got into bed and was knocked out in less than a minute.
Other Ways to Say: Asleep fast, Out cold
34. Sleep like a log
Meaning: To sleep very deeply.
In a Sentence: I was so exhausted after finals that I slept like a log and didn’t even hear my alarm in the morning.
Other Ways to Say: Deep sleep, Out all night
35. Bag of bones
Meaning: Feeling so tired and weak your body feels fragile.
In a Sentence: After days of traveling with barely any sleep, I felt like a bag of bones just trying to make it to the hotel.
Other Ways to Say: Fragile, Weak with tiredness
36. Daylight’s burning
Meaning: Used to express urgency when someone’s moving too slowly, especially from tiredness.
In a Sentence: Come on, sleepyhead—daylight’s burning and we’ve got places to be!
Other Ways to Say: Hurry up, You’re moving slow
37. Not up to snuff
Meaning: Not feeling your best or fully capable, often due to tiredness.
In a Sentence: I was not up to snuff today and couldn’t keep up with the group project like I normally do.
Other Ways to Say: Not at your best, Off your game
38. In need of forty winks
Meaning: Needing a short nap.
In a Sentence: After back-to-back meetings, I’m in desperate need of forty winks before I do anything else.
Other Ways to Say: Quick nap, Power nap
39. Like dragging a dead weight
Meaning: Feeling like every movement takes a lot of effort because you’re so tired.
In a Sentence: Walking to class this morning felt like dragging a dead weight—I could barely put one foot in front of the other.
Other Ways to Say: Heavy-footed, Slow with fatigue
40. Feel like death warmed over
Meaning: To feel extremely tired, sick, or worn down.
In a Sentence: I only got two hours of sleep and had a cold—I felt like death warmed over all day.
Other Ways to Say: Awful, Sick and tired
41. Flat out
Meaning: Extremely tired, busy, or both.
In a Sentence: I’ve been flat out all week with exams and late-night study sessions.
Other Ways to Say: Overloaded, Utterly drained
42. Ready to crash and burn
Meaning: On the verge of total exhaustion.
In a Sentence: After pulling an all-nighter and giving a presentation, I was ready to crash and burn as soon as I got home.
Other Ways to Say: Burnt out, About to collapse
43. Totally zonked
Meaning: Completely tired and spaced out.
In a Sentence: I was totally zonked after a long trip and could barely keep up with the conversation.
Other Ways to Say: Worn out, Half-asleep
44. Half-asleep on my feet
Meaning: Being so tired you feel like you’re falling asleep while standing.
In a Sentence: I was so drained during the morning assembly that I felt half-asleep on my feet.
Other Ways to Say: Barely awake, Sleepwalking through the day
45. Could sleep standing up
Meaning: Extremely tired and ready to fall asleep anywhere.
In a Sentence: After working that double shift, I was so tired I could’ve slept standing up right there on the train.
Other Ways to Say: Dog-tired, Completely out of energy
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks using idioms for tired:
- I worked from morning till night and felt completely ________ by the time I got home.
- After just three hours of sleep, I walked around like a ________ all day at school.
- She was so tired that she fell asleep instantly—she was ________ like a baby.
- I’m totally ________ from running errands since sunrise.
- That class was such a ________ that everyone nearly dozed off halfway through.
- I feel like I could ________ standing up, I’m so exhausted.
- After hours of cleaning and organizing, I was ________ and couldn’t do a thing more.
- I haven’t been sleeping well lately and I’m starting to feel ________ all the time.
- I stayed up too late again, and now I’m not ________ on all cylinders.
- I hit the ________ as soon as I got home—I didn’t even brush my teeth!
Answers:
burned out, zombie, slept like a log, wiped out, snooze-fest, sleep, spent, drained, firing, sack
Conclusion
Feeling tired is part of life, and these idioms give us fun and expressive ways to talk about it. Instead of saying “I’m tired” over and over again, you can mix it up with creative phrases that help your speech sound more colorful, natural, and engaging. Whether you’re wiped out, running on fumes, or ready to drop, there’s an idiom to match your mood.
Keep practicing these expressions in your writing, conversations, or journaling. You’ll find they become second nature over time—and you’ll never run out of fun ways to say, “I’m exhausted.” Language is all about expression, and idioms are the perfect shortcut to being understood.
