Everyone feels tired sometimes. It might happen after school, sports, or a long day. Writers often use similes to show how tired someone feels. A simile compares two things using “like” or “as.” It helps us picture the feeling more clearly.
This article shares simple similes that describe being tired. These comparisons make it easier to understand how someone feels when they have no energy. Whether someone is a little sleepy or very worn out, there’s a simile that fits. Let’s look at some clear and fun ways to describe being tired.
Similes for Tired
1. As tired as a dog after a long run
Meaning: Completely worn out
Samples: I was as tired as a dog after a long run. / She felt as tired as a dog chasing a ball all day.
To Put it Another Way: Totally exhausted. / Could barely move.
2. Like a balloon with no air
Meaning: Out of energy
Samples: I felt like a balloon with no air after practice. / He collapsed like a balloon with no air.
To Put it Another Way: Deflated. / Worn down.
3. As slow as a sloth
Meaning: Moving with no energy
Samples: I walked as slow as a sloth after gym. / My legs were as slow as a sloth climbing a tree.
To Put it Another Way: Dragging my feet. / No speed at all.
4. Like a phone with 1% battery
Meaning: Nearly out of energy
Samples: I was thinking like a phone with 1% battery. / She acted like she had no charge left.
To Put it Another Way: Barely functioning. / Almost done.
5. As limp as a wet noodle
Meaning: No strength or firmness
Samples: His arms were as limp as a wet noodle. / I sat down, limp as a wet noodle.
To Put it Another Way: Too tired to sit up straight. / Felt floppy.
6. Like a light turning off
Meaning: Sudden exhaustion
Samples: I dropped into bed like a light turning off. / My eyes shut like a light switch.
To Put it Another Way: Fell asleep fast. / Couldn’t keep going.
7. As heavy as a sack of rocks
Meaning: Body feels very heavy
Samples: My feet were as heavy as a sack of rocks. / He dragged himself like he was carrying rocks.
To Put it Another Way: Body too tired to lift. / Hard to move.
8. Like a bear ready for hibernation
Meaning: Wanting to sleep for a long time
Samples: I felt like a bear ready for hibernation. / She curled up like a hibernating bear.
To Put it Another Way: Wanted deep sleep. / No energy at all.
9. As weak as a kitten
Meaning: Feeling very weak
Samples: I was as weak as a kitten after the run. / My legs shook like a newborn kitten.
To Put it Another Way: No strength. / Wobbly and tired.
10. Like a robot running out of power
Meaning: Slowing down and stopping
Samples: I moved like a robot running out of power. / She looked like her battery was dying.
To Put it Another Way: Losing energy fast. / Couldn’t keep going.
11. As droopy as a wilted flower
Meaning: No energy or lift
Samples: I felt as droopy as a wilted flower. / She sat, droopy like a flower in the sun.
To Put it Another Way: No energy to hold myself up. / Sagging from tiredness.
12. Like a candle burning low
Meaning: Slowly losing energy
Samples: I worked like a candle burning low. / My body dimmed like a fading candle.
To Put it Another Way: Slowly running out. / Almost done.
13. As worn out as old shoes
Meaning: Very used and tired
Samples: He was as worn out as old shoes. / I felt as used up as a pair of beat-up sneakers.
To Put it Another Way: Overworked. / Tired from use.
14. Like jelly on legs
Meaning: Feeling wobbly and weak
Samples: My legs were like jelly after the hike. / I stood like jelly on legs.
To Put it Another Way: Couldn’t hold steady. / Felt like falling.
15. As slow as dial-up internet
Meaning: Moving extremely slow
Samples: I was thinking as slow as dial-up internet. / My brain dragged like old internet.
To Put it Another Way: Couldn’t think fast. / Too tired to focus.
16. Like an unplugged fan
Meaning: Not working or moving
Samples: I dropped into bed like an unplugged fan. / My body shut off.
To Put it Another Way: All motion stopped. / Done for the day.
17. As drained as an empty pool
Meaning: Completely out of energy
Samples: I was as drained as an empty pool. / No energy left at all.
To Put it Another Way: Nothing inside. / Fully used up.
18. Like a clock with dead batteries
Meaning: Stopped functioning
Samples: My brain felt like a clock with dead batteries. / I just sat still.
To Put it Another Way: No power. / Couldn’t think.
19. As sleepy as a baby after milk
Meaning: Very ready to sleep
Samples: I was as sleepy as a baby after milk. / I could hardly keep my eyes open.
To Put it Another Way: Ready to doze. / Very relaxed and tired.
20. Like a pancake stuck to the plate
Meaning: Not moving at all
Samples: I lay like a pancake stuck to the plate. / I couldn’t lift myself.
To Put it Another Way: Stuck. / Too tired to move.
21. As weak as a paper towel in water
Meaning: Falls apart easily
Samples: My arms were as weak as a wet paper towel. / No strength to hold anything.
To Put it Another Way: Felt like giving out. / Flimsy.
22. Like a computer frozen
Meaning: Brain stopped working
Samples: My brain froze like a computer crash. / I couldn’t process anything.
To Put it Another Way: Nothing worked. / Stuck thinking.
23. As drained as a squeezed sponge
Meaning: No energy left
Samples: I felt as drained as a sponge after cleaning. / Squeezed and empty.
To Put it Another Way: Gave it all. / Had nothing left.
24. Like a pillow with no fluff
Meaning: Lost all bounce and strength
Samples: I collapsed like a pillow with no fluff. / Flat and tired.
To Put it Another Way: Couldn’t bounce back. / Worn out.
25. As drowsy as a cat in the sun
Meaning: Extremely sleepy
Samples: I was as drowsy as a cat napping in sunlight. / Didn’t want to move.
To Put it Another Way: Very relaxed. / Ready to sleep.
26. Like a lightbulb flickering
Meaning: Barely hanging on
Samples: I was like a flickering lightbulb at the end of the day. / About to turn off.
To Put it Another Way: Almost gone. / Just holding on.
27. As lifeless as a stuffed animal
Meaning: Not moving or reacting
Samples: I felt as lifeless as a stuffed animal. / Just lying there.
To Put it Another Way: No energy. / Like a toy.
28. Like a snowman in the sun
Meaning: Slowly melting away
Samples: I was like a snowman in the sun after PE. / Bit by bit, I melted.
To Put it Another Way: Losing energy slowly. / Breaking down.
29. As out of it as someone sleepwalking
Meaning: Barely aware or functioning
Samples: I walked home as out of it as a sleepwalker. / Didn’t know where I was.
To Put it Another Way: Not alert. / Very sleepy.
30. Like melted ice cream
Meaning: No shape or strength
Samples: I felt like melted ice cream on the couch. / Just oozed there.
To Put it Another Way: Messy and done. / Couldn’t hold together.
31. As heavy as bricks
Meaning: Body weighed down
Samples: My eyelids were as heavy as bricks. / I couldn’t keep them up.
To Put it Another Way: Too heavy to stay awake. / Pulling down.
32. Like fog in my brain
Meaning: No clear thinking
Samples: My thinking was like fog. / Couldn’t see through it.
To Put it Another Way: Very unclear. / Lost in thought.
33. As tired as a night shift nurse
Meaning: Completely worn down
Samples: I felt as tired as a night shift nurse. / Too much going on.
To Put it Another Way: Fully drained. / All used up.
34. Like a tree after a storm
Meaning: Beaten and weak
Samples: I looked like a tree after a storm. / Barely standing.
To Put it Another Way: Worn and tired. / Shaken.
35. As still as a statue
Meaning: Not moving from tiredness
Samples: I sat as still as a statue. / Couldn’t budge.
To Put it Another Way: Frozen from fatigue. / Completely still.
36. Like a puzzle missing pieces
Meaning: Thoughts not complete
Samples: My thoughts were like a puzzle with missing pieces. / Couldn’t figure it out.
To Put it Another Way: Confused. / Tired brain.
37. As sleepy as bedtime
Meaning: Ready to sleep
Samples: I was as sleepy as bedtime after dinner. / Could barely sit up.
To Put it Another Way: Sleep was calling. / Done for the day.
38. Like a story with no ending
Meaning: Can’t finish due to tiredness
Samples: My brain was like a story with no ending. / I couldn’t keep going.
To Put it Another Way: Gave up. / Lost focus.
39. As drained as a forgotten toy
Meaning: Left without energy
Samples: I sat like a forgotten toy silent and still. / No energy left.
To Put it Another Way: Left out and tired. / No more effort.
40. Like a sponge soaked with too much water
Meaning: Full and sagging
Samples: I felt like a sponge too full of water. / Couldn’t hold any more.
To Put it Another Way: Done and drooping. / Overloaded.
41. As stuck as gum on a shoe
Meaning: Unable to move
Samples: I felt as stuck as gum on a shoe. / No strength to lift myself.
To Put it Another Way: Trapped by tiredness. / No movement.
42. Like a blanket on the floor
Meaning: Sprawled out, not moving
Samples: I laid out like a blanket on the floor. / Flat and still.
To Put it Another Way: Too tired to get up. / Fully down.
43. As broken as a toy
Meaning: Tired beyond repair
Samples: I felt as broken as an old toy. / Nothing worked anymore.
To Put it Another Way: Done and finished. / Couldn’t do more.
44. Like a car out of gas
Meaning: No energy to go on
Samples: I was like a car out of gas. / Couldn’t go another step.
To Put it Another Way: Stalled. / Stopped moving.
45. As floppy as a rag doll
Meaning: No strength in limbs
Samples: I dropped as floppy as a rag doll. / Limp and loose.
To Put it Another Way: Couldn’t stay upright. / Fell easily.
46. Like a sunset fading
Meaning: Slowly losing strength
Samples: My energy faded like a sunset. / I was done by nightfall.
To Put it Another Way: Winding down. / Fading out.
47. As off as a flipped switch
Meaning: Totally shut down
Samples: I was as off as a light switch. / My brain turned off.
To Put it Another Way: No more thinking. / Shut down mode.
48. Like a bug flipped on its back
Meaning: Stuck and helpless
Samples: I lay like a bug flipped over too tired to move. / Wiggled and stopped.
To Put it Another Way: Stuck in place. / No energy.
49. As stretched as a rubber band
Meaning: Tired from doing too much
Samples: I felt as stretched as a rubber band ready to snap. / Overdone.
To Put it Another Way: Tired and tense. / Couldn’t take more.
50. Like the last page of a book
Meaning: Reached the end
Samples: I was like the last page of a book done and finished. / Time to rest.
To Put it Another Way: End of the line. / Ready to close.
Find the Topics: Similes for Tired
Reading Passage: “After the Field Trip”
The bus ride home from the museum was quiet. Everyone had been walking, talking, and exploring for hours. Emma leaned against the window, feeling like a balloon with no air. Her legs were as wobbly as jelly on a plate. Liam slouched in his seat, saying, “I feel like a phone with 1% battery.”
Jada dropped her backpack and sat like a wet noodle, not even opening her eyes. “That last exhibit made me as tired as a dog after a long run,” she mumbled. Behind her, Mason barely moved, still as a statue, while Ava yawned like a bear ready for hibernation.
The ride was so quiet; the only sound was the bus engine. Everyone looked like robots running out of power. Emma whispered, “My brain feels like a clock with dead batteries.” A few heads nodded. By the time they reached school, they were as droopy as wilted flowers and walked like snowmen in the sun.
Nobody said much. They just wanted to lie down like blankets on the floor.
Your Task:
Underline or list all 12 similes for tired used in the story.
Answer Key
- Like a balloon with no air
- As wobbly as jelly on a plate
- Like a phone with 1% battery
- Like a wet noodle
- As tired as a dog after a long run
- Still as a statue
- Like a bear ready for hibernation
- Like robots running out of power
- Like a clock with dead batteries
- As droopy as wilted flowers
- Like snowmen in the sun
- Like blankets on the floor
Conclusion
Tiredness can be felt in many ways: weak, slow, or ready to fall over. Similes help us show those feelings with pictures in our minds. They make writing about tired moments more real and easier to understand.
Next time you’re feeling tired, try using one of these similes. They can help you say exactly how you feel without needing to explain too much.
