knackered

adjective

ˈna-kərd How to pronounce knackered (audio)
Definition of knackerednext
British
as in exhausted
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness I'm absolutely knackered, so no pub-crawling for me tonight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of knackered Or at least see the knock-on effects on knackered players during the new domestic season? — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025 The bones of knackered cattle in the glue that held his antique books together. — Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024 And, if their knees get too knackered, there’s a backup Santa. — Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2021 The adrenaline from having our first child (and keeping him alive) got me through the first several days without feeling completely knackered, but my lack of nocturnal restoration eventually took its toll. — Patrick Wilson, Outside Online, 15 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knackered
  1. exhausted
  2. tired
Adjective
  • Even Musk, despite his vow to take a chainsaw to the bureaucracy, seemed exhausted by the vastness of what his Department of Government Efficiency had taken on, and abandoned DOGE over a year earlier than planned.
    — Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Create healthy boundaries around activities that might leave you feeling depleted or exhausted, such as unnecessary social media scrolling.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhausted
Adjective
  • The new owners took over the keys to a tired and decaying club in the spring and have since overseen a summer renovation that has stretched from assembling a new first-team squad to restoring hot water to Hillsborough.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Despite all that staying power, glycerin and hyaluronic acid keep the full-coverage formula from feeling dry, while caffeine gives tired undereyes a brightening, de-puffing assist.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tired

Browse Nearby Words

knack
knackered
knacks
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Cite this Entry

“Knackered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knackered. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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