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drawn

drawn

4.9
A face that looks tired, pale, and worried
  • adjective
  • /drɔn/
translation icon : demacrado
  • After weeks of sleepless nights, she appeared drawn and exhausted at work.

But when it starts to look drawn and thin and haggard, I'll have gone too far.

Examples

  • His drawn expression revealed the stress of the past few months.

  • But when it starts to look drawn and thin and haggard, I'll have gone too far.

  • The actor's drawn face in the film conveyed his character's struggles.

Synonyms

haggard
vsdrawn
12 7.0

Looking very tired and pale from worry, illness, or lack of food

is tired or worried but less extreme in exhaustion
pallid
vsdrawn
3 7.5

Having a very pale face because of illness, shock, or deep worry

also shows worry and tension, not just paleness from health
worn
vsdrawn
2 2.8

Looking very tired because of too much work or worry

is tired or worried but may lack obvious hardship marks
hollow-eyed
vsdrawn
1 7.7

Deep sunken eyes that make a person look very tired or ill

affects the whole face, not only the eye area
careworn
vsdrawn
1 7.7

Having a tired, worried face after a long time of worry or too much work

is tired from many causes, not only long worry or work
pale-faced
vsdrawn
1 4.9

A person with a very pale face because of illness or fear

includes both pale color and visible stress or tension signs
dough-faced
vsdrawn
1 9.8

A pale, tired face that looks weak

suggests worry and tension rather than just dullness or paleness
wan
vsdrawn
7.4

Pale in the face and looking sick or unhappy

is pale or worried but not necessarily ill or sickly
raddled
vsdrawn
  • UK
9.9

Looking worn and tired from long hard times

is more about pallor and tension than messy, disordered appearance

Antonyms

81 4.1

Full of energy and activity that makes people feel excited

1 1.5

Feeling rested and full of new energy after a break

Idioms

In open, serious conflict with someone

9.9

A plan or promise that looks real but is weak and will not last

Compounds

14 3.4

Horses pull a vehicle instead of a motor

1 6.3

Melted butter with the solid parts of milk removed that is used as a sauce for seafood

A vehicle with wheels pulled by horses that carries people or goods

How Tired

gaunt
9 7.3
haggard
11 6.8
drawn
4.9
wan
7.4
pale
291 1.0

Surface Forms

drawn positive

Morphology

drawn = draw (semi-transparent) = draw + n

The adjectival meaning 'looking tense or pale' is a figurative extension of 'pulled' (features appearing drawn), so the relation to 'draw' is recognisable but metaphorical.

Etymology

Drawn comes from the same verb draw, meaning 'to pull', and you can imagine a person's face as if its skin and muscles are 'pulled' tight; that's why a drawn face looks pale, tired, or worried.