fatigue

1 of 3

noun

fa·​tigue fə-ˈtēg 

1

a

: labor

b

: manual or menial work (such as the cleaning up of a camp area) performed by military personnel

c

fatigues plural : the uniform or work clothing worn on fatigue and in the field

2

a

: weariness or exhaustion from labor, exertion, or stress

We were overcome by fatigue after the long hike.

b

: the temporary loss of power to respond that is induced in a sensory receptor (see receptor sense a) or motor (see motor entry 2 sense 1) end organ by continued stimulation

c

: a state or attitude of indifference or apathy brought on by overexposure (as to a repeated series of similar events or appeals)

… a super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton launched within days of Barack Obama's 2013 inauguration. Voter fatigue is just one drawback to the long campaigns, though.

—Martin Wisckol

Most of the Romney voters they visited were fairly chipper, but there is an air of election fatigue in a state where most television commercial breaks are dominated by attack ads and the phone rings off the hook with campaign calls.

—Daniel Malloy and Katie Leslie

Waning media coverage of a humanitarian crisis is usually a precursor to "donor fatigue," in which assistance from other nations fades.

—Christian Science Monitor

see also compassion fatigue

3

: the tendency of a material to break under repeated stress

metal fatigue

fatigue

2 of 3

verb

fatigued; fatiguing

transitive verb

1

: to weary with labor or exertion

2

: to induce a condition of fatigue in

intransitive verb

: to suffer fatigue

fatigue

3 of 3

adjective

1

: consisting of, done, or used in fatigue

fatigue detail

2

: belonging to fatigues

a fatigue cap

Did you know?

Why are uniforms called fatigues?

Fatigue is a basic part of today’s vocabulary, but, surprisingly, only dates back to the mid-17th century in English. It’s not used even a single time by Shakespeare or in the King James Bible. It came to English from French and ultimately derives from the Latin verb fatigare, meaning “to tire out” or “to exhaust.” An earlier direct borrowing into English from Latin, fatigate, was used in the 1500s before disappearing (it’s now labeled obsolete in our dictionaries). Fatigue entered English first as a noun, then the verb (“the work fatigues me”) and adjective (“a fatigue detail”) came along. The noun was used to mean both “the state of being tired” and “labor,” “effort,” or “trouble”—a sense that seems old-fashioned today. Early uses of fatigue meaning “effort” or “labor” often were in military contexts:

the fatigue of our long march

the fatigues of war

the fatigues of a long journey

they no longer have fatigue without pay

toil and fatigue

These senses led to two military-specific uses of fatigue. First, it came to mean “manual or menial work performed by military personnel,” and then, consequently, “the uniform or work clothing worn on fatigue detail and in the field.” This is how fatigues came to mean “uniform” in the military. When your job seems to be all work and no play, even your clothes are tired.

Synonyms

Noun

• burnout
• collapse
• exhaustion
• frazzle
• lassitude
• prostration
• tiredness
• weariness

Verb

• break
• burn out
• bust
• do in
• do up
• drain
• exhaust
• fag
• frazzle
• harass
• kill
• knock out
• outwear
• tire
• tucker (out)
• wash out
• wear
• wear out
• weary

Choose the Right Synonym for fatigue

tire, weary, fatigue, exhaust, jade mean to make or become unable or unwilling to continue.

tire implies a draining of one's strength or patience.

the long ride tired us out

weary stresses tiring until one is unable to endure more of the same thing.

wearied of the constant arguing

fatigue suggests great lassitude from excessive strain or undue effort.

fatigued by the day's chores

exhaust implies complete draining of strength by hard exertion.

shoveling snow exhausted him

jade suggests the loss of all freshness and eagerness.

appetites jaded by overindulgence

Examples of fatigue in a Sentence

Noun

We were overcome by fatigue after the long journey.

The drug's side effects include headache and fatigue.

soldiers wearing combat boots and fatigues

The cracks in the engine were caused by metal fatigue.

Verb

the rescue workers pressed on, though their efforts to reach the miners had almost completely fatigued them

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Symptoms of bird flu can include fever, fatigue, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, shortness of breath, stuffy or runny nose, eye redness, headaches and pneumonia requiring hospitalization, according to the CDC. —Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024

Without treatment, weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, and more serious complications can occur. —Kristen Fischer, Health, 7 Dec. 2024

Verb

When exposed, children often get fatigued, have trouble walking, sitting up or breathing, and can even experience changes in heart rate or blood pressure. —Kiersten Hacker, Baltimore Sun, 18 Nov. 2024

This color change takes place because your retinas’ ability to see red is temporarily fatigued. —Vanessa Armstrong, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024

Adjective

That’s why it’s often used as an anti-fatigue and energy-boosting agent. —Dallas News, 30 Jan. 2023

Take this option, which has a shock-diffusing plate and an anti-fatigue footbed to provide hours-long comfort. —Ebenezer Samuel, Men's Health, 13 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, and Adjective

French, from Middle French, from fatiguer to fatigue, from Latin fatigare; akin to Latin affatim sufficiently

First Known Use

Noun

1669, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1693, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fatigue

• anti-fatigue
• battle fatigue
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• combat fatigue
• compassion fatigue

Kids Definition

fatigue

1 of 2 noun

fa·​tigue fə-ˈtēg 

1

plural : the uniform worn by members of the armed forces for physical labor

2

a

: tiredness from work or stress

b

: the condition of a part of the body (as a sense organ or gland) that temporarily loses the power to respond after a long period of stimulation

3

: the tendency of a material (as metal) to break under repeated stress (as bending)

fatigue

2 of 2 verb

fatigued; fatiguing

1

: to cause to become very tired

pulling weeds fatigues me

2

: to cause a condition of fatigue in

running fatigues my legs

Medical Definition

fatigue

1 of 2 noun

fa·​tigue fə-ˈtēg 

1

: weariness or exhaustion from labor, exertion, or stress

2

: the temporary loss of power to respond induced in a sensory receptor or motor end organ by continued stimulation

fatigue

2 of 2 verb

fatigued; fatiguing

transitive verb

1

: to weary with labor or exertion

2

: to induce a condition of fatigue in (as an effector organ)

intransitive verb

: to be affected with fatigue : become weary