What Does โTire of doing sthโ Mean?
โTire of doing sthโ means to become bored or annoyed with an activity after doing it for a long time.
Introduction
The phrasal verb โtire of doing sthโ describes a feeling when someone no longer enjoys or wants to continue an activity because it has become dull or exhausting. Understanding the tire of doing sth meaning helps learners express frustration or boredom clearly. It is commonly used in everyday conversations to show a change in interest or patience towards repeated tasks. This phrase is useful for both spoken and written English, especially when discussing feelings about routine or repetitive actions.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: tire of doing something
- Type: Intransitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: To become bored or annoyed with an activity
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โTire of doing sthโ is inseparable, meaning the verb and the preposition โofโ stay together. The pattern is:
- Subject + tire(s) of + verb + -ing
- Example: She tires of waiting for him.
- Note: โTireโ changes depending on the subject (tires, tired, tiring).
How to Use Tire of doing sth?
Use โtire of doing sthโ to express that someone no longer enjoys an activity that they have done repeatedly. It often implies a gradual loss of interest or patience.
Commonly followed by a verb in the -ing form (gerund), it fits well when talking about habits, routines, or ongoing tasks.
Examples
When you do something too often, you might start to feel bored. This is when you can say you โtire of doing sth.โ
- He tired of studying the same subject every day.
- They are tired of working late every night.
- She tires of cooking the same meals all the time.
- After a while, I tired of waiting for the bus.
- We tire of hearing the same story over and over again.
These examples show how to use โtire of doing sth in a sentenceโ naturally.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the structure or word order of โtire of doing sth.โ
- Incorrect: I tire doing of homework.
- Correct: I tire of doing homework.
- Incorrect: She tires to doing the same task.
- Correct: She tires of doing the same task.
Remember, โtireโ must be followed by โofโ and then a verb in the -ing form.
Differences / Synonyms
โTire of doing sthโ is similar to โget bored of doing sthโ or โlose interest in doing sth.โ However, โtire ofโ often suggests a stronger feeling of annoyance or frustration.
- Tire of: implies boredom and irritation after repetition.
- Get bored of: focuses mainly on losing interest.
- Lose interest in: means to no longer find something exciting or enjoyable.
Example: She tires of cleaning the house (annoyed). She gets bored of cleaning the house (not interested).
Common Collocations
People often use โtire of doing sthโ with common activities or tasks. Here are some collocations:
- Tire of working long hours: lose patience with work.
- Tire of waiting: become annoyed by waiting.
- Tire of studying: lose interest in learning.
- Tire of cooking: get bored with preparing food.
- Tire of listening: become fed up with hearing something.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of tire of doing sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation where people use โtire of doing sthโ naturally.
Anna: I tire of doing the same exercises every day.
Ben: Why donโt you try a different workout?
Anna: Thatโs a good idea. Iโm tired of the routine.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
- a) She tires to doing the dishes every night.
- b) She tires of doing the dishes every night.
- c) She tire of doing the dishes every night.
Answer: b) She tires of doing the dishes every night.
FAQ
- Q: Can โtire of doing sthโ be used in the past tense?
A: Yes. Example: I tired of waiting yesterday.
- Q: Is โtire ofโ formal or informal?
A: It is neutral and suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
- Q: Can I use โtire ofโ with nouns?
A: Usually, it is followed by a verb in the -ing form, but you can say โtire of somethingโ (a noun).
- Q: What is the difference between โtire ofโ and โget tired ofโ?
A: They mean the same and can be used interchangeably.
- Q: Can โtire ofโ be used in questions?
A: Yes. Example: Do you tire of doing the same tasks?

