What does "fatigue" mean?
A weariness caused by exertion; exhaustion.
Fatigue
/fəˈtiːɡ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A weariness caused by exertion; exhaustion.
- Grammar: fatigue is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: tiredness, weariness, exhaustion, abatement.
- Useful contrasts: active energy, available energies, bodily energy.
- Usage evidence: With hunger and fatigue, the dog died at last.
How to use "fatigue"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fatigue" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fatigue" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fatigue" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fatigue" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fatigue" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "tiredness" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fatigue", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A weariness caused by exertion; exhaustion. countable, uncountable
"My husband stayed for some days with the magistrate at Cardwell, recruiting his health and recovering from his fatigues, for the passage between Cape York and Cardwell had proved the most tedious and anxious part of the voyage."
- 2 labor of a nonmilitary kind done by soldiers (cleaning or digging or draining or so on) wordnet
- 3 A menial task or tasks, especially in the military. countable, in-plural, often, uncountable
"Moreover, the habits of business are the most enduring of any; and Lord Norbourne's most positive enjoyment was in what are called the fatigues of office."
- 4 (always used with a modifier) boredom resulting from overexposure to something wordnet
- 5 Weakening and eventual failure of material, typically by cracking leading to complete separation, caused by repeated application of mechanical stress to the material. countable, uncountable
"Mechanical failures due to fatigue have been the subject of engineering efforts for more than 150 years."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work wordnet
- 7 Attributive form of fatigues (“military clothing worn when doing menial tasks”). US, attributive, countable, form-of, uncountable
"He was slouched in the chair behind the duty officer’s desk, cigarette dangling from his lips, hands thrust deep into his fatigue pockets, making a display of his disrespect. The acting clerk, cowering behind his own desk, was either afraid to insist he assume a more military posture, or else didn’t care."
- 8 used of materials (especially metals) in a weakened state caused by long stress wordnet
Verb
- 1 To tire or make weary by physical or mental exertion. transitive
- 2 exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress wordnet
- 3 To wilt a salad by dressing or tossing it. transitive
"The handsome, silver-haired proprietor was absorbed in fatiguing a salad for a family party."
- 4 lose interest or become bored with something or somebody wordnet
- 5 To lose so much strength or energy that one becomes tired, weary, feeble or exhausted. intransitive
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To undergo the process of fatigue; to fail as a result of fatigue. intransitive
- 7 To cause to undergo the process of fatigue. transitive
"The repeated pressurization cycles fatigued the airplane's metal skin until it eventually broke up in flight."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
active energyavailable energiesbodily energycomplete energy
Example
"With hunger and fatigue, the dog died at last."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fatigue"?
Common synonyms include: tiredness, weariness, exhaustion, abatement, abscess, absent energy.
How do you use "fatigue" in a sentence?
With hunger and fatigue, the dog died at last.
How do you pronounce "fatigue"?
Pronounced /fəˈtiːɡ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French fatigue, from fatiguer, from Latin fatīgāre (“to weary, tire, vex, harass”).
Etymology 2
From French fatiguer, from Latin fatīgāre (“to weary, tire, vex, harass”).