to get bored

Meanings

1. 1phraseintransitive

   To begin to feel tired and impatient because something is dull or not interesting.

   Grammar: No object is needed. Often used after 'start' or 'begin', or after 'to' in sentences like 'I don't want to get bored.'

   Patterns

   • get bored with something
   • get bored of something
   • get bored doing something

   The children got bored after ten minutes of waiting.

   I get bored when I have nothing to do.

   She started to get bored with the same routine every day.

2. 2phraseintransitiveinformal

   To lose interest in an activity or situation and want something different.

   Grammar: Often followed by 'with' or 'of' to say what caused the feeling. 'Get bored of' is more common in informal speech.

   Patterns

   • get bored with someone
   • get bored of something
   • get bored easily

   He gets bored with his job quickly and changes often.

   Don't you get bored of watching the same show?

   Some people get bored easily and need constant excitement.

Word forms

Common combinations

get bored easily

Young children get bored easily, so keep activities short.

get bored with something

I got bored with the game after an hour.

get bored of doing something

She got bored of waiting and left.

start to get bored

The audience started to get bored during the long speech.

Synonyms and how they differ

lose interest

Focuses on the process of stopping to care, while 'get bored' emphasizes the feeling of dullness.

tire of

More formal and often used for things you once enjoyed; 'get bored' is more general and informal.

Opposites

Word family

bored adjective

Feeling tired and impatient because something is dull.

boring adjective

Causing someone to feel bored; not interesting.

boredom noun

The state of being bored.

Commonly confused: to get bored or boring?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “to get bored”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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