Meaning & use
looking exhausted
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Having the appearance of being extremely tired, as if all one's energy has been used up.
Grammar: Used after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'feel' to describe someone's state. It is not used before a noun.
Patterns
- be looking exhausted
- seem looking exhausted
After working a double shift, she was looking exhausted.
The children came home from the hike looking exhausted but happy.
Common combinations
- looking exhausted after
- He was looking exhausted after the long flight.
- looking exhausted from
- She was looking exhausted from staying up all night.
- looking absolutely exhausted
- After the marathon, they were looking absolutely exhausted.
Synonyms and how they differ
- looking tired
- Less intense; 'tired' can mean mildly fatigued, while 'exhausted' suggests extreme depletion.
- looking worn out
- Similar but often implies long-term fatigue or damage, not just a temporary state.
Opposites
Word family
- exhausted adjective
- Extremely tired; the base adjective without the 'looking' phrase.
- exhausting adjective
- Causing extreme tiredness, e.g., an exhausting day.
Commonly confused: looking exhausted or exhaustive?
looking exhausted vs exhaustive
Means complete or thorough, not tired. 'An exhaustive search' is a full search, not a tiring one.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'looking exhausted' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option A correctly uses the -ing phrase after 'was' to describe her appearance. Option B uses the simple past 'looked', which is also correct but not the target phrase. Option C is grammatically possible but less natural in this context. Option D uses the simple present, which is also correct but not the target phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “looking exhausted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.