strung out person

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phraseinformal

   A person who is extremely tired, anxious, or emotionally drained, often from stress or lack of sleep.

   Grammar: Used as a noun phrase. 'Strung out' is an adjective phrase; 'person' can be replaced by other nouns: 'a strung out mother'.

   Patterns

   • a strung out person
   • be strung out from something
   • feel strung out

   After three all-nighters, she looked like a strung out person who needed a week of sleep.

   He's been a strung out person ever since the divorce.

   Don't become a strung out person by working every weekend.

2. 2phrasefixed phraseslangoffensive

   A person suffering from the effects of drug withdrawal or long-term drug use.

   Grammar: Often used with 'be' or 'look': 'He was strung out on heroin.' This sense is slang and can be offensive if used carelessly.

   Patterns

   • strung out on drugs
   • a strung out addict

   The clinic helps strung out people recover from addiction.

   He was a strung out person, shaking and desperate for a fix.

Common combinations

look strung out

You look strung out; have you slept at all?

feel strung out

I feel strung out after that meeting.

strung out on

He was strung out on painkillers.

totally strung out

She was totally strung out from stress.

Synonyms and how they differ

exhausted

Neutral and common; 'strung out' is more informal and suggests nervous strain, not just tiredness.

wired

Informal, means nervous and unable to relax; 'strung out' often adds a sense of being worn down.

burned out

Focuses on long-term exhaustion from work; 'strung out' can be temporary and more emotional.

Opposites

Word family

strung out adjective

The adjective form, used before nouns or after 'be'.

Commonly confused: strung out person or stressed out?

Practice

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