tirelessly

tirelessly — adverb

1. working with steady effort and energy for as long as needed, without showing tir

1.adverbB2
Definition

working with steady effort and energy for as long as needed, without showing tiredness or giving up

Example

Aylin worked tirelessly to finish the project before the Friday deadline.

collocation: work tirelessly

Kabir's team searched tirelessly for survivors after the earthquake struck the coastal town.

collocation: search tirelessly

Common collocations
  • work tirelessly
  • fight tirelessly
  • campaign tirelessly
  • search tirelessly
  • strive tirelessly
Synonyms
  • diligently

    focuses on carefulness and thoroughness rather than endurance

  • persistently

    emphasises continuing despite obstacles or opposition

  • relentlessly

    more intense, and can sound negative or aggressive

  • energetically

    highlights high physical energy rather than sustained endurance

Antonyms
  • lazily

    doing something with little effort or energy

  • half-heartedly

    without enthusiasm or full commitment

Grammar Patterns

adverb modifying verb of effort

Usage Note

Commonly modifies verbs of sustained effort such as work, search, campaign, fight, and strive. Typically placed before the main verb or after the first auxiliary verb (has tirelessly worked / worked tirelessly).

Common Mistakes

She tirelessly woke up at seven in the morning.
She worked tirelessly from morning to night.
'tirelessly' describes sustained effort over a long period, not a single short action.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Tirelessly emphasises sustained effort over a long period without becoming physically or mentally exhausted. Diligently focuses on careful, thorough attention to detail — you work diligently on a report, but you search tirelessly for survivors. Persistently stresses continuing despite obstacles, rejection, or difficulty; it can apply to both admirable and annoying behaviour. Relentlessly is the strongest of the four, suggesting an unstoppable, sometimes harsh, drive that cannot be slowed down. For example, a nurse works tirelessly through a long shift, a student practices diligently for an exam, a journalist persistently follows a lead, and rain falls relentlessly through the night.

tirelessly ↗diligentlypersistentlyrelentlessly

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • so tirelessly
  • absolutely tirelessly
  • quite tirelessly

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed from the adjective tireless, which combines tire (from Old English tēorian, meaning 'to become exhausted or weary') with the suffix -less ('without'). The adverb suffix -ly is added to form tirelessly. The word has been in use since the 19th century.