at the end of my tether

Meaning

This idiom means to be so tired, stressed, or annoyed by a difficult situation that you feel you cannot cope with it any longer. It is highly expressive and conveys a sense of having run out of patience or energy. It is more common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English (the American English equivalent is 'at the end of my rope').

Examples

• The baby has been crying all night, and I am honestly at the end of my tether.

  The baby has been crying all night, and I am honestly at the end of my tether.

• After dealing with customer complaints for eight hours, she was at the end of her tether.

  After dealing with customer complaints for eight hours, she was at the end of her tether.

• I've tried fixing this computer three times today, and now I'm at the end of my tether.

  I've tried fixing this computer three times today, and now I'm at the end of my tether.

• He has been working sixty hours a week and is completely at the end of his tether.

  He has been working sixty hours a week and is completely at the end of his tether.

• Please stop arguing; I am at the end of my tether with all this noise.

  Please stop arguing; I am at the end of my tether with all this noise.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I am at the end of my tethers.

  ✓ I am at the end of my tether.

  The word 'tether' must always be singular in this idiom.

• ✗ She is at the end of the tether.

  ✓ She is at the end of her tether.

  You must use the possessive pronoun (my, her, his, their) that matches the subject, not 'the'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• With the constant delays and lack of communication, I am ___.

  💡 Having no patience or energy left

  Show answer

  at the end of my tether

• He was ___ after trying to assemble the flat-pack furniture for hours.

  💡 Extremely frustrated and exhausted

  Show answer

  at the end of his tether