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Original poster

Do you class knackered as swearing?

264 replies

DisappointedD · 14/01/2026 19:36

I have always thought of it as a mild swear word. A word I wouldn’t want my younger children using but wouldn’t be too bothered by a teen (but not to their grandparents) type word.

There is a current radio ad using the word which made me think about it earlier. I was surprised when I heard it and didn’t think it was a word I’d heard used in ad’s before.

OP posts:
Dutchhouse14 · 14/01/2026 21:12

My grandparents wouldnt have like me using it.
Generally it means tired/exhausted but i was told when i was younger it meant being tired through having sex! Not sure if this is true origin or not but its why it was a bit frowned upon saying it when i was younger.
However havent heard anyone make that connection for a while so.i wouldnt say its a swear word just a slang word for tired.

Ramblingaway · 14/01/2026 21:12

Mid 40s, North West England, and was taught it meant, as my mother put it 'sexually exhausted'. Followed by 'I don't care if you use it at school, but not in my house thank you very much!'. I have a vivid memory of my mum ironing as she told me off.

EveryChairIsWobbly · 14/01/2026 21:12

I was a kids in the 1980s - it meant tired from sex. We weren’t allowed to say it.

I don’t think it means that any more but I wouldn’t say it in formal settings because of this connotation.

Backtothe90ties · 14/01/2026 21:10

A five year old child at the school I work at said motherfucker today. I could not get worked up about anyone saying knackered 🤣

Fiftyandme · 14/01/2026 21:09

No

MNLurker1345 · 14/01/2026 21:07

ResusciAnnie · 14/01/2026 21:01

Wow, bloody! I never understood why that was bad - it was explained to me that it’s short for ‘by our lady’, but why is that offensive…. some form of blasphemy I’m sure!

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Now as a non swearer, I have been known to use the word bloody (and don’t consider it
in the category of profane), when I am really angry, but have been censored by my 14 year old DGD; huge gasp “grandma you just said a bad word”.

AmusedMember · 14/01/2026 21:07

When I was younger my Aunt scolded me for saying it... I only used it as I'm tired!

supersonicginandtonic · 14/01/2026 21:05

I've never heard of knackered as a swear word. And definitely not turd. Although saying that I grew up with kids being called, buggerluggs/ it was a term for a cheeky or mischievous child.

BluntAzureDreamer · 14/01/2026 21:04

It's the only time I have been told off by my mum for swearing - I said it when I was about 12 and never ever swore in front of my mum again. I'm now nearly 47 🤣

TulipTuesday · 14/01/2026 21:02

I remember my Nan giving me a massive telling off for using this as a kid. I never understood why it was a bad thing to say.

I’m 45 and from the Midlands.

ResusciAnnie · 14/01/2026 21:01

Waitingfordoggo · 14/01/2026 21:00

My parents would have told me off for saying it. (See also ‘bloody’- my brother once had his mouth washed with soap for saying that!) But these days it seems very mild to me. I wouldn’t class it as polite and wouldn’t use it in a formal setting, but not really swearing in my eyes.

Wow, bloody! I never understood why that was bad - it was explained to me that it’s short for ‘by our lady’, but why is that offensive…. some form of blasphemy I’m sure!

BasilParsley · 14/01/2026 21:00

I'm old. Knackered to me always meant you were ready for the knacker's yard (where old horses went) because you were so tired. I never saw it as a swear word until one day someone pulled my up for saying it in front of the vicar. I asked why, he said "it's rude" I said, quite genuinely innocently, "no it's not, it means I'm ready for the knacker's yard" ... the convo stopped there...

Waitingfordoggo · 14/01/2026 21:00

My parents would have told me off for saying it. (See also ‘bloody’- my brother once had his mouth washed with soap for saying that!) But these days it seems very mild to me. I wouldn’t class it as polite and wouldn’t use it in a formal setting, but not really swearing in my eyes.

ResusciAnnie · 14/01/2026 20:58

No, I was an adult when I learnt that some people think it means ‘tired from sex’ 🤢

My friend uses ‘shagged’ to mean tired….. now that’s worse, surely.

downunder50 · 14/01/2026 20:57

I don't consider it swearing but when my 5 year old son's friend started saying it all the time I didn't really like it. It's an adult word IMO but I don't really know why I think that.

Londonrach1 · 14/01/2026 20:57

Tried? Not a swear word.

MopAndBucketLady · 14/01/2026 20:56

Knackered no!
Fucking knackered yes !

BrickBiscuit · 14/01/2026 20:55

HandMadeInYorkshire · 14/01/2026 19:51

Knackers (in Yorkshire) was another name for bollocks, so it was seen as a swear word, same as 'fart', that was also known as a swear word.

Also bollocks down south (UK), possibly from the term gubernaculum. Knackered similarly used for tired or decrepit, though not specifically after sex (and I'm old enough to remember knackers yards). Both slang, vulgar or coarse language, not polite enough for formal settings.

sprigatito · 14/01/2026 20:55

I was also told as a child that it meant tired after sex. We were not allowed to say it.

Moveoverdarlin · 14/01/2026 20:51

It means tired after sex, I remember teachers being horrified when someone in primary school (1980s) said it. Over the years though it’s just commonly used for tired / exhausted.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 14/01/2026 20:50

Watercoloursky · 14/01/2026 20:38

Berkeley Hunt, I thought... not sure if that's pronounced Berk-ley or Bark-ley, though, so your point may still stand...

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It probably depends of the posh ness of your accent maybe?😂

HolyMoly24 · 14/01/2026 20:50

Not a swear word as such but a bit vulgar? So not polite language for a kid to use

tachetastic · 14/01/2026 20:46

Yes in the sense that I would not like to hear my child saying it. That said, while I would pick my kids up on it, I wouldn't be clamping down too hard. I would put words like arse and bloody in the same category.

I would consider them quite mild from an adult though. There are definitely other words that are worse.

abracadabra1980 · 14/01/2026 20:45

No 🤣

hopefulsocks · 14/01/2026 20:44

Moonface318 · 14/01/2026 19:53

My Mum would tell me off for using it when I was a kid. It means you're tired from having sex.

I was told the same. I’m in my mid-40s in the South, maybe it’s a regional thing?