fatigue

1 of 3

noun

fa·​tigue fə-ˈtēg How to pronounce fatigue (audio)
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.

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
Anxiety, depression pain and fatigue can affect balance, hearing and cognitive testing, so abnormalities can be difficult to interpret. Katie Bo Lillis, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 The early signs can include fatigue, feelings of depression or anxiety, and changes in your nails or skin. Carey Rossi, Health, 17 Mar. 2024 This botanical is used to reduce stress and anxiety and diminish fatigue. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 These blends are purported to help with a range of menopause symptoms like fatigue and night sweats, but Ghofrany points out that, like chromium, study findings on their effectiveness are contradictory. Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 In real life, O’Brian—who is a martial arts instructor and former bodybuilder, in addition to being an actor—lives with Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune condition that typically causes frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and intense fatigue, among other really unpleasant symptoms. Pam Moore, C.p.t., SELF, 13 Mar. 2024 Meeting fatigue is real and not just due to the quantity of meetings. Steve Mollman, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 Will superhero fatigue finally prove fatal to the genre that has monopolized the attention economy for two decades? Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Superhero fatigue may be setting in for some moviegoers, but Captain America himself is stepping up to defend the art of bringing comic books to the big screen. Shania Russell, EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
After recovering from the convulsions and loss of consciousness, the person is usually fatigued and confused for several minutes to several hours. Jacob Pellinen, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2024 Luka Doncic paced the Mavericks with 34 points, nine assists, eight rebounds, and five turnovers – and took offense to a fan who was wearing a Devin Booker jersey saying he was fatigued and needed to get on the treadmill. Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 25 Jan. 2024 One of the biggest challenges is people get fatigued from change from costs. Megan Poinski, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 It’s been over a year since four students at the University of Idaho were violently killed in their home, but the passing of time has not fatigued the public’s interest in the case. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 6 Feb. 2024 Journeying to play against MLS rivals, on the other hand, would add to what is already one of the most arduous and fatiguing travel schedules of any first-division league in the world. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Now well over three hours in, Medvedev was clearly fighting to keep up, fatigued from his heroic battles all week. Vogue, 28 Jan. 2024 Because sometimes people get fatigued of hearing my voice. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2024 Evgeny acknowledged that his soldiers were fatigued after so many months of brutal combat. Tyler Hicks Marc Santora, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2023
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 While many anti-fatigue mats come in more subdued color palettes, The House of Noa shows us a different path. Good Housekeeping, 13 Jan. 2023 What makes this chair even more supportive is the addition of the anti-fatigue mat that’s attached. Kylee McGuigan, Popular Mechanics, 12 Jan. 2023 As with the other fungi on this list, the polysaccharides within I. obliquus may offer a range of helpful properties, including antitumor, anti-fatigue, antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects. Molly Glick, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2022 This anti-fatigue eye treatment from Tom Ford is top quality and looks sleek in its functional packaging. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Oct. 2022 An anti-fatigue mat provides a soft surface to stand on while working at a standing desk. Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fatigue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of fatigue was in 1669

Dictionary Entries Near fatigue

Cite this Entry

“Fatigue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatigue. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fatigue

1 of 2 noun
fa·​tigue fə-ˈtēg How to pronounce fatigue (audio)
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 How to pronounce fatigue (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on fatigue

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