Cool MateMy sons are spent vs Tired vs Weary
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
My sons are spent
Tired
Weary
| My sons are spent | Tired | Weary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //maɪ sʌnz ɑː spɛnt//🇺🇸 //maɪ sʌnz ɑr spɛnt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈtaɪəd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈtaɪərd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈwɪəri//🇺🇸 //ˈwɪri// |
| Meaning | My children are tired. | Feeling like you want to rest or sleep. | Very tired and exhausted. |
| Example | After the long trip to the amusement park, my sons are spent. | I feel tired after running for an hour. | After the long hike, she felt utterly weary. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | - | A1 | C2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective | |
| Collocations | be spent, feel spent, make my sons feel spent | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, from, tired and drawn, be, become, get, extremely, fairly, very, sick and tired | weary eyes, weary sigh, weary journey, weary traveler |
| Antonyms | - | rested, energized, refreshed | energetic, fresh, invigorated |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'spent' as in money, rather than tired., Omitting 'are' in the phrase., Using 'son' instead of 'sons' when referring to multiple children. | Confused with 'tire' as a noun instead of an adjective., Incorrectly using 'tired of' with an object that can't be tired., Overusing in formal writing where synonyms like 'fatigued' are better. | Using 'weary' to describe mild tiredness instead of exhaustion., Confusing 'weary' with 'wary' (cautious). |
| Usage notes | Used informally to express that children are exhausted, often after an active day. Appropriate in casual conversations. | Use 'tired' when describing a need for rest. It's appropriate in most contexts, but avoid using it in overly formal settings where more specific terms like 'fatigued' might be preferred. | Used to describe physical or mental exhaustion, but can also imply a sense of caution or reluctance. Generally more formal than 'tired'. |
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Frequently asked questions: My sons are spent vs Tired vs Weary
What's the difference between My sons are spent, Tired, and Weary?
My sons are spent: My children are tired. Tired: Feeling like you want to rest or sleep. Weary: Very tired and exhausted.
Which is more common: My sons are spent, Tired, and Weary?
Tired is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: My sons are spent, Tired, and Weary?
Weary is the highest level, at C2, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
My sons are spent: After the long trip to the amusement park, my sons are spent. Tired: I feel tired after running for an hour. Weary: After the long hike, she felt utterly weary.
Can I use My sons are spent, Tired, and Weary interchangeably?
Not always. My sons are spent, Tired, and Weary are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.