Meaning & use
anti-fatigue
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Designed to reduce tiredness or the physical effects of long periods of standing, working, or looking at screens.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: an anti-fatigue mat. It is not usually used after a verb, so 'the mat is anti-fatigue' sounds odd in careful writing.
Patterns
- anti-fatigue mat
- anti-fatigue flooring
- anti-fatigue glasses
The factory installed anti-fatigue mats along the whole assembly line.
She bought anti-fatigue glasses after her eyes started hurting at the end of every shift.
Warehouse staff stand for hours, so anti-fatigue flooring is a popular choice.
adjectivebefore a nountechnical
Relating to substances or treatments that help the body recover from or resist fatigue.
Grammar: Also used before a noun, often in health or sports writing: anti-fatigue supplements.
Patterns
- anti-fatigue supplement
- anti-fatigue properties
The study examined the anti-fatigue properties of certain plant extracts.
Some athletes take anti-fatigue supplements, though the evidence is mixed.
Common combinations
- anti-fatigue mat
- A good anti-fatigue mat makes a long shift much easier on your feet.
- anti-fatigue glasses
- He wears anti-fatigue glasses when he codes late into the night.
- anti-fatigue flooring
- The clinic chose anti-fatigue flooring for the nurses' station.
- anti-fatigue properties
- Researchers tested the anti-fatigue properties of the drink.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ergonomic
- Ergonomic means designed for comfort and efficiency at work; anti-fatigue is narrower and focuses specifically on reducing tiredness.
- supportive
- Supportive describes something that gives physical support, such as shoes; anti-fatigue emphasizes the effect on your energy level.
Word family
- fatigue noun
- extreme tiredness
- fatigued adjective
- very tired
Commonly confused: anti-fatigue or anti-fat?
anti-fatigue vs anti-fat
Anti-fat means designed to reduce fat, as in anti-fat diet; anti-fatigue is about tiredness, not weight.
Practice
The nurses asked the hospital to buy ______ mats for the long shifts.
Choose one answer.
Anti-fatigue fits because the mats are meant to reduce tiredness from standing. Anti-fat is about reducing body fat, and fatigue is a noun, so neither describes the mats correctly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “anti-fatigue”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.