tire

1 of 4

verb (1)

tired; tiring

intransitive verb

: to become weary

transitive verb

1
: to exhaust or greatly decrease the physical strength of : fatigue
2
: to wear out the patience of : bore

tire

2 of 4

noun (1)

often attributive
1
: a rubber cushion that fits around a wheel (as of an automobile) and usually contains compressed air
2
: a metal hoop forming the tread of a wheel

tire

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
obsolete : attire
2
archaic : a woman's headband or hair ornament

tire

4 of 4

verb (2)

tired; tiring

transitive verb

1
obsolete : attire
2
archaic : to adorn (the hair) with an ornament
Choose the Right Synonym for tire

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 tire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Phoenix appeared to have tired himself out after playing in his new ball pit with his mom, which was shown in footage shared by Hilton earlier on in the day. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 The horsemen are a key part of Spanish bullfighting, to tire the bull ahead of its final death at the hands of the matador. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 With minimal rain expected, families have the opportunity to tire their kids out with a day in the sun. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Feb. 2024 Johnson scored 13 of his points in the quarter, as the Raider defense seemed to tire out the Gators. Mike Frainie, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2024 Aim for one that’s lightweight so your arm doesn’t tire out before the wrinkles get out of your clothing. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Feb. 2024 Biden is struggling to connect with young people and some voters of color, while Trump has tired some swing voters with his claims about 2020. Alyssa Lukpat, WSJ, 10 Jan. 2024 John Timmer People who aren't interested in driving their equipment to nearby mountain biking areas can use an electric version to get there without tiring themselves out. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 30 June 2023 In the lull, Deborah dealt with health problems, including a heart condition that tires her easily. Jill Wendholt Silva, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024
Noun
Yet another United flight was forced to make an emergency landing when a tire fell off the plane moments after takeoff. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2024 Unfortunately, though, the car’s tires seemed to be struggling to warm up—meaning that after any pit stop or safety car, the team would lose around 20 seconds before being able to hold a steady pace. Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024 If big, lumbering Luna isn’t nimble anymore or tires easily, choose a shorter hike. Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 Over the past month, Boeing planes operated by United have lost a tire, run off the runway, spilled hydraulic fluid midflight, and spouted flames from the engine. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 There was also a tire that fell off while en route to Osaka, Japan on March 7, and one of United Airlines Flight 1118’s engines caught on fire on March 4. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024 Late last week, a United plane going from San Francisco to Japan had to make an emergency landing in Los Angeles because a tire fell off after takeoff. Quartz Staff, Quartz, 17 Mar. 2024 Colorado requires that truck drivers traveling through the mountains on Interstate 70, the state's main east-west highway, carry chains with them from September through May and be ready to put them on their tires for better traction during storms. CBS News, 16 Mar. 2024 As the years have passed, the surface has become increasingly abrasive, providing a challenge in tire wear, while the wind is also a frequent trial. Brad Spurgeon, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tire.' 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

Verb (1)

Middle English tyren, from Old English tēorian, tȳrian

Noun (1)

Middle English, probably from tire entry 3

Noun (2)

Middle English, short for attire

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tire was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near tire

Cite this Entry

“Tire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tire. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tire

1 of 2 verb
tired; tiring
1
: to become weary
2
: to decrease greatly or completely the physical strength of
3
: to wear out the patience or attention of : bore

tire

2 of 2 noun
1
: a metal hoop that forms the tread of a wheel
2
: a rubber cushion that usually contains compressed air and fits around a wheel
automobile tires

Medical Definition

tire

verb
tired; tiring

intransitive verb

: to become weary

transitive verb

: to exhaust or greatly decrease the physical strength of : fatigue

More from Merriam-Webster on tire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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