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Prepositions after adjectives

Tiring of vs tiring for

Tiring for is the standard pattern when something causes fatigue to a person. Tiring of is uncommon as an adjective pattern and usually belongs to the verb tire of.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with tiring?

Use tiring for to describe something exhausting for someone. Tiring of is generally not used after the adjective tiring.

The trip was tiring for the children.
Long meetings are tiring for everyone.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
tiring for + person

Something causes exhaustion

Use tiring for when an activity or situation exhausts someone.

The recovery process was tiring for the patient.
2
tiring for + group

Describing strain on people

This pattern is common with jobs, travel, study, and emotional situations.

Night shifts are tiring for new employees.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
tiring for
The climb was tiring for beginners.
causing fatigue to someone
tiring of
We are tiring of the delays.
verb phrase with tire of, not adjective + preposition
tired of
She is tired of excuses.
annoyed or bored

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using tiring of as an adjective pattern

English normally uses tiring for after the adjective tiring.

✕ The journey was tiring of us. ✓ The journey was tiring for us.

Confusing tiring and tired

Tiring describes something that causes fatigue. Tired describes the person's state.

✕ I am tiring for this work. ✓ I am tired from this work.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The long ceremony was ___ the guests.
2. Which sentence uses a verb phrase, not an adjective pattern?
3. After the race, she was completely ___.

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Frequently asked questions

Is tiring of correct English?

It can appear as part of the verb phrase tire of, but not usually as an adjective followed by a preposition.

Can tiring describe mental strain?

Yes. Tiring can refer to physical or mental exhaustion.

What is the difference between tiring and tired?

Tiring describes the cause of fatigue, while tired describes the result.

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