Meaning
An informal way to say you are very tired.
Practice Bank
3 exercisesAfter working a 12-hour shift, I'm completely ____.
I just finished running a marathon, and now I'm absolutely ____.
The children played all day at the park, and by the evening, they were totally ____.
🎉 Score: /3
The use of 'beat' to mean 'exhausted' or 'tired' dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries in American English. It likely originated from the idea of being 'beaten down' or 'beaten out' by physical exertion or weariness. The sense of being completely overcome by fatigue, much like a person or thing that has been repeatedly struck or 'beaten,' lends itself to this meaning. It became particularly common in informal speech and slang, conveying a vivid image of extreme tiredness. Over time, 'I'm beat' evolved into a widely recognized and frequently used colloquialism to express profound exhaustion. The brevity and directness of the phrase contribute to its popularity in everyday conversation.
