bored with + thing
Feeling tired of an activity or object
With introduces the thing causing boredom.
He is bored with online meetings.
Bored with vs. bored of
Both bored with and bored of are used in modern English. Bored with is more formal and widely accepted in all varieties.
Quick answer
Which is correct: bored with or bored of?
Bored with is the standard and safest choice in formal and international English. Bored of is common in informal British English, especially in speech.
I'm bored with this game.
She's bored of waiting.
They became bored with the lecture.
She's bored of waiting.
They became bored with the lecture.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
bored with + person
Feeling uninterested in someone
With can also refer to people.
She grew bored with her classmates.
bored of + activity
Informal alternative in some varieties
Of is common in informal British English, especially before verbs ending in -ing.
I'm bored of studying.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
bored with
We were bored with the presentation.
Standard and widely accepted in all contexts.
bored of
He's bored of staying at home.
Informal alternative, especially in British English.
bored by
She was bored by the speaker.
By emphasises the source or cause of boredom.
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using bored of in very formal writing
Bored with is usually preferred in formal or international contexts.
✕ The staff were bored of the training session. ✓ The staff were bored with the training session.Confusing bored and boring
Bored describes feelings; boring describes something that causes boredom.
✕ I am boring with this class. ✓ I am bored with this class.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. She was bored ___ the movie.
2. In informal British English, people may say bored ___ waiting.
3. The audience was bored ___ the long speech.
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Frequently asked questions
Is bored of grammatically correct?
Yes. It is common in informal British English, though bored with is more standard.
Which is better in formal writing?
Bored with is safer and more widely accepted in formal English.
Can bored be followed by a verb?
Yes. Use a gerund form, such as bored with waiting or bored of waiting.
Related preposition guides
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