bored of (with)

Short answer: Use "bored with" for a general state and "bored by" to single out the cause. "Bored of" appears in casual speech (especially in some British varieties) but is nonstandard in formal writing.

Quick answer

Prefer "bored with" (ongoing dissatisfaction) or "bored by" (the cause). Avoid "bored of" in formal writing.

"bored with" = general state (safe default)
"bored by" = points to the agent or event that caused the feeling
If unsure, use "bored with" or rephrase to an active verb: "The lecture bored me."

Core explanation: how the prepositions change meaning

"Bored" is an adjective that normally links to a noun or clause with a preposition. The choice of preposition affects nuance:

with signals an ongoing feeling: "I'm bored with this project."
by highlights the cause: "She was bored by the guest speaker."
of appears colloquially but is not the recommended choice in standard writing

Real usage and tone

"Bored of" shows up frequently in casual conversation and in some regional British speech, particularly among younger speakers. That frequency does not make it the safest choice for emails, reports, résumés, or academic work.

Formal contexts → choose "bored with" or "bored by"
Informal chat or texts → "bored of" is usually accepted by friends and peers
When in doubt, pick "bored with" as the neutral option

Examples: wrong → right pairs (work, school, casual)

Right-hand forms are standard and safe for formal writing. Note when a cause-focused revision uses "by" or when an active rewrite removes the preposition.

Work - Wrong: I'm bored of the meeting. -
Right: I'm bored with the meeting.
Work - Wrong: She's bored of answering the same questions. -
Right: She's bored with answering the same questions.
Work - Wrong: We're bored of the weekly status updates. -
Right: We're bored with the weekly status updates. / The weekly updates bore us.
School - Wrong: He's bored of science class. -
Right: He's bored with science class. / The science class bores him.
School - Wrong: The students were bored of the repeated lab demo. -
Right: The students were bored by the repeated lab demo.
School - Wrong: She's bored of doing homework every weekend. -
Right: She's bored with doing homework every weekend.
Casual - Wrong: I'm bored of this song. -
Right: I'm bored with this song.
Casual - Wrong: He's bored of waiting for the bus. -
Right: He's bored with waiting for the bus. / Waiting for the bus bores him.
Casual - Wrong: They're bored of the show already. -
Right: They're bored with the show already.
Mixed - Wrong: He was bored of the presenter's jokes. -
Right: He was bored by the presenter's jokes.
Mixed - Wrong: I'm bored of talking about this. -
Right: I'm bored with talking about this. / Talking about this bores me.

Rewrite help: quick patterns and copy-ready fixes

Swap the preposition, shift to cause-focus with "by," or change to an active verb when a preposition feels awkward.

Pattern A: [subject] + bored + with + [noun/gerund]
Pattern B: [subject] + bored + by + [agent/event]
Pattern C (active): [noun/event] + bores + [subject]

Original: I'm bored of this topic. →
Rewrite: I'm bored with this topic.
Original: He was bored of the presenter. →
Rewrite: He was bored by the presenter.
Original: We're bored of the same drills. →
Rewrite: The same drills bore us.
Original: She's bored of studying alone. →
Rewrite: She's bored with studying alone.
Original: They're bored of standing in line. →
Rewrite: Standing in line bores them.

Try your own sentence

Read the full sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the right choice obvious.

Fix your own sentence: a 3-step checklist

Replace "bored of" quickly with this checklist.

1) Find "bored of" in your sentence.
2) Decide: is it a general state (use "with") or a specific cause (use "by")?
3) If it still sounds odd, make it active: "X bores me" or "I find X boring."

Example (work): You wrote "I'm bored of the weekly tests." → Fix: "I'm bored with the weekly tests."
Example (school): You wrote "The lecture left them bored of the topic." → Fix: "The lecture bored them."

Memory trick: a single short cue

Keep it simple: "with works, by pinpoints." If you can answer "with what?" use with; if you can answer "by what?" use by. Default to "bored with" in formal writing.

"With works, by pinpoints" - a quick recall under pressure
When unsure, rephrase to an active verb: "X bores me" or "I find X boring"

Grammar notes, spacing, and hyphenation

Write the words separately: "bored with" or "bored by." Do not hyphenate. Grammatically, "bored" is an adjective and "bore" is its verb counterpart; switching to the verb often clears awkward prepositions.

Correct spacing: She was bored with the project. (not "bored-with")
"Bored" = adjective (I am bored). "Bore" = verb (The project bored me).
Use preposition choice to adjust nuance, or rephrase to avoid uncertainty.

Similar mistakes and prepositions to watch

Some adjectives pair with specific prepositions: interested in, fed up with, annoyed by/with. "Tired of" is widely accepted; "bored of" is less safe in formal contexts.

Common confusions: interested in (not "interested of"), fed up with (not "fed up of")
Annoyed can take by or with; nuance differs depending on focus
If unsure, rephrase: "X bores me" or "I find X boring"

Example (school): Wrong: She's interested of history. →
Right: She's interested in history.
Example (casual): Wrong: I'm annoyed of waiting. →
Right: I'm annoyed by waiting / I'm fed up with waiting.

FAQ

Is "bored of" correct English?

It appears often in informal speech, but standard written English favors "bored with" or "bored by."

When should I use "bored by" instead of "bored with"?

Use "bored by" to single out the cause or agent (She was bored by the lecture). Use "bored with" for a general, ongoing feeling (She's bored with the course).

Can I keep using "bored of" in texts with friends?

Yes. "Bored of" is generally acceptable in casual messages. For formal writing, switch to "bored with" or rephrase.

What if my sentence still sounds awkward after swapping prepositions?

Try an active rewrite: "The lecture bored me" or use "find/feel": "I find this topic boring."

Are there dialect differences between British and American English?

"Bored of" is reported more often in some British informal speech, but both varieties recommend "bored with" or "bored by" for standard written English.

Quick next step

Use the three-step checklist above or paste your sentence into the widget to see a suggested rewrite. For formal writing, prefer "bored with" or an active construction for the safest result.