frazzled

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈfræzəld/ UK /ˈfræzld/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
extremely tired or exhausted, often due to stress or overwork

After working twelve hours straight, she felt completely frazzled.
2

adj
damaged or worn out, such as a frayed or tangled wire or a frayed nerve

The old lamp wouldn't switch on because of a frazzled wire.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · extremely tired or... exhausted flustered fatigued overwrought harried

2 adj · damaged or worn out, such... frayedworndisheveledbedraggled tattered

Opposites

refreshed calm relaxed composed

Etymology

From an imitative root fraz- (suggesting a sharp, harsh sound), via Middle English frazzle ('to wear out, to fray'), giving Modern English frazzled ('exhausted, worn out, frayed').

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# frazzled

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈfræzəld/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfræzld/

## Meanings
1. extremely tired or exhausted, often due to stress or overwork
2. damaged or worn out, such as a frayed or tangled wire or a frayed nerve

## Examples
- After working twelve hours straight, she felt completely frazzled.
- The old lamp wouldn't switch on because of a frazzled wire.

## Synonyms
- exhausted
- flustered
- fatigued
- overwrought
- harried
- frayed
- worn
- disheveled
- bedraggled
- tattered

## Antonyms
- refreshed
- calm
- relaxed
- composed

## Etymology
From an imitative root fraz- (suggesting a sharp, harsh sound), via Middle English frazzle ('to wear out, to fray'), giving Modern English frazzled ('exhausted, worn out, frayed').

## AI Etymology
Frazzled comes from an imitative root fraz- (suggesting a sharp, harsh sound), via Middle English frazzle ('to wear out, to fray'), giving Modern English frazzled ('exhausted, worn out, frayed'). In current use it is an adjective meaning "extremely tired or exhausted, often due to stress or overwork". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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