fatigue

noun

fa·tigue | \ fə-ˈtēg

Definition of fatigue

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : labor

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

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

2a : 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

verb

fatigued; fatiguing

Definition of fatigue (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to weary with labor or exertion

2 : to induce a condition of fatigue in

intransitive verb

: to suffer fatigue

fatigue

adjective

Definition of fatigue (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : consisting of, done, or used in fatigue fatigue detail

2 : belonging to fatigues a fatigue cap

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Why are uniforms called fatigues? More Example Sentences Learn More about fatigue

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Choose the Right Synonym for fatigue

Verb

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

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.

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

Harry's brother, Prince William, is no stranger to post-baby fatigue. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Prince Harry Wants to Know How Much Sleep He'll Get When the Royal Baby Arrives," 3 Apr. 2019 But Michael doesn't necessarily pin his fatigue on having to diet, though. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Inside Michael Angarano's Intense Weight-Loss Preparation to Play Nicky Pearson," 19 Mar. 2019 Another pressing concern -- Solo blasts off a mere five months after Star Wars: Episode VIII -- The Last Jedi hit theaters, raising the possibility of fatigue. — Pamela Mcclintock, Billboard, "Box Office: 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Struggling to Hit $110M in U.S., Crashes Overseas," 26 May 2018 Back at the hotel, Demi and Sydney are showing signs of mid-season fatigue, and when the group date card has their names on it, they're crushed. — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "'The Bachelor' Recap: An Exercise In Waiting for Colton to Jump the Fence," 12 Feb. 2019 The National Transportation Safety Board said one of the engine's fan blades showed signs of metal fatigue and broke off, potentially causing the accident, reports CBS News' Kris Van Cleave. — CBS News, "Southwest passengers pulled woman partially sucked out of window back into plane," 18 Apr. 2018 At the time, investigators noted signs of metal fatigue. — NBC News, "Southwest Airlines steps up engine inspections after fatal flight," 18 Apr. 2018 The strategic issues surrounding involvement in Afghanistan and Syria are vastly different, and fatigue with intervention in Afghanistan has grown stronger, with many now willing to admit the US has all but lost. — Jen Kirby, Vox, "Trump will reportedly remove 7,000 troops from Afghanistan," 21 Dec. 2018 Airbus is working on projects that reduce the cognitive load (and the resulting cognitive fatigue) on pilots, as well as the number of pilots required to be at the controls. — Alyson Behr, Ars Technica, "More than an auto-pilot, AI charts its course in aviation," 5 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Anyone who’s had to make a long drive on little sleep can tell you that there are also, of course, hazards that can come along with being fatigued, but being exhausted is actually more compromising than most people realize. — Yvette D'entremont, SELF, "I'm a Scientist With Insomnia So I Researched How to Actually Get Better Sleep," 28 Nov. 2018 The danger is that Democrats by then may have fatigued the public even more. — Ted Van Dyk, WSJ, "To Beat Trump, Get a Grip," 23 July 2018 If there is progress this season, the Premier League, perhaps, has happened on a happy medium, a competition that is challenging but not over-fatiguing. — Jonathan Wilson, SI.com, "Systemic or Specific? Reasons for Premier League Clubs' Champions League Fortunes," 15 Mar. 2018 Your legs will likely be fatigued by this point, says Brewer. — SELF, "Strengthen Your Entire Body With This 8-Part Slam Ball Circuit from Pink’s Trainer," 12 Sep. 2018 Almost immediately, one of the moderators expressed a concern that echoed my thoughts: Are people going to start feeling fatigued by the conversation? — Susanna Fogel, Glamour, "The Spy Who Dumped Me," 3 Aug. 2018 My own guess: By 2020, Mr. Trump will have fatigued the public. — Ted Van Dyk, WSJ, "To Beat Trump, Get a Grip," 23 July 2018 Egypt's disappointing World Cup run plunged a nation already fatigued by economic hardship and political woes deeper into misery. — Hamza Hendawi, chicagotribune.com, "Love for Mohamed Salah offers refuge from Egypt's World Cup exit," 26 June 2018 For example, do machine biceps curls immediately after pull-ups and dumbbell rows to really fatigue your biceps. — K. Aleisha Fetters, SELF, "Yes, Weight Machines Can Absolutely Have a Place in Your Fitness Routine," 15 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fatigue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.