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Glite Dictionary
🎨 Faded or pale 😩 Very tired
washed-out

washed-out

1 5.1
Being very tired and without energy
  • adjective
  • /ˈwɑːʃt aʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : agotado
  • She felt so washed out, so pale; it was hard to remember that the world saw her this other way.
  • looked washed-out
  • feel washed-out

Examples

  • If you don’t get enough sleep, you will feel washed out during the day.

  • I feel stale, washed out.

    Academic text (1999)

  • I believe I could sleep for a week; I've never felt so washed out in my life.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • You look washed out.

    EDtv (1999)

  • I think Flo looks great, and she's clearly having an awesome time, but why on earth does her face look so washed out?

    Blog text (22)

  • After working long hours this week, I feel completely washed out and in need of rest.

  • She collapsed on the sofa, looking washed out after the demanding trek in the mountains.

Synonyms

exhausted
vswashed-out
104 2.0

Very tired and completely used up for a person or thing after using all energy

emphasizes reduced effectiveness as well as low energy
burned-out
vswashed-out
27 4.4

Very tired after doing too much work for a long time

covers exhaustion in general, not only chronic work-related cases
anemic
vswashed-out
  • US
24 5.7

Weak and showing little strength or energy

is about acute extreme exhaustion rather than chronic weakness or pallor
drowsy
vswashed-out
22 2.7

Feeling sleepy and not fully awake, often because you are tired or bored

means extreme tiredness and reduced effectiveness rather than mere sleepiness
lethargic
vswashed-out
15 5.3

Being very tired and slow with little interest or energy

suggests deeper more complete exhaustion and reduced effectiveness
fatigued
vswashed-out
13 4.1

Feeling very tired and having no energy

is more common and neutral and also denotes reduced effectiveness
played out
vswashed-out
  • Informal
10 6.7

Very tired or no longer interesting because people use it too much

focuses more on personal exhaustion and loss of energy rather than overuse
gone
vswashed-out
  • Informal
9 7.4

Extremely tired with no energy

is neutral and not necessarily colloquial or idiomatic
knackered
vswashed-out
  • UK
3 8.5

Feeling very tired and having no energy

is neutral and lacks the regional informal tone
dog-tired
vswashed-out
  • Informal
3 6.4

Very tired after doing hard work for a long time

is a neutral description of low energy and reduced effectiveness
fagged
vswashed-out
  • UK
1 9.0

Feeling very tired and without energy

is broader and not only about being worn down by tasks
worn-out
vswashed-out
2.4

A person who is very tired and needs rest after hard work

focuses more on exhaustion and lack of energy than physical wear
spent
vswashed-out
3.5

Very tired and with no energy left

also implies reduced effectiveness beyond mere tiredness
drained
vswashed-out
3.4

Feeling very tired with no energy left

suggests reduced ability and low energy rather than only emptiness
overworn
vswashed-out
6.1

Very tired because of too much work or travel

is more general and not limited to those specific causes
wearied
vswashed-out
3.4

Feeling very tired after hard physical or mental effort

is used more broadly for deep exhaustion beyond recent effort
deuced tired
vswashed-out
  • Archaic
9.9

Feeling very tired and unable to do much

is neutral and does not carry that emphatic slang feeling
perishingly tired
vswashed-out
  • Informal
7.9

Very low on energy and unable to do much

is more neutral and less hyperbolic about low energy
tuckered
vswashed-out
  • Informal
7.4

Very tired after a lot of activity or a long day

is more general and can imply reduced effectiveness too
wacked
vswashed-out
  • Informal
8.7

Very tired and without energy after hard work

is a neutral description without the slang tone
totally zogged
vswashed-out
  • Slang
9.9

Feeling very tired and without energy

is neutral and literal without the playful slang sense
washed
vswashed-out
  • Offensive
8.4

No longer effective or popular

is used for personal tiredness and reduced effectiveness rather than finished status
wilted
vswashed-out
3.7

Feeling weak and tired as if you do not have energy

is stronger indicating extreme exhaustion and reduced effectiveness
short on energy
vswashed-out
3.5

Feeling tired and weak

is stronger implying extreme exhaustion and reduced effectiveness

Antonyms

refreshed
1 1.5

Feeling rested and full of new energy after a break

How Tired

exhausted
104 2.0
washed-out
  • Informal
1 5.1
drained
3.4
weary
129 3.2
tired
∞ 1.0
alert
1 2.4

Surface Forms

washed-out positive

Morphology

washed-out = wash (semi-transparent) = out + wash + ed

Built from 'wash out' + -ed, but the meaning 'exhausted' is a metaphorical extension rather than a literal 'washed away' sense. [Postprocessing: moved 'out' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Washed-out uses the same image of wash 'to clean with water' and out 'completely' to suggest that something has been 'washed away', like color from cloth. That's why a person who feels 'washed-out' has had their energy taken away and is very tired.