What it means
Wrecked means absolutely done in. You use it when someone’s beyond plain tired and basically running on fumes, whether that’s from no sleep, a savage shift, a heavy night, a long drive, or just life dropkicking them all week. It’s common in the UK and also turns up in other English-speaking places for exhausted, hungover, sore, or generally not fit for human performance.
Usage examples
"You coming to five-a-side, mate? Nah, I’m wrecked. Three hours kip, then we got rinsed at the pub. My head’s doing drum and bass."
"I'm absolutely wrecked after that double shift, straight to bed for me."
"We were all wrecked by the end of the hike, legs like jelly and not a word between us."
"Don’t get me chatting, I’m wrecked. Did a night shift, got home at six, and the dog still wanted a full emotional walk."
"He looked absolutely wrecked after the festival, sunburnt, dusty, and drinking water like it was fixing his soul."
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Where it comes from
It comes from wrecked, the past participle of wreck, first used for things ruined, smashed, or left in a bad state. That sense is old in English, and by the late 19th and early 20th century people were using it about themselves too, meaning physically spent, rough, or mentally shot.
Other ways to say it
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