---
title: "fed up · GenZ Decoded"
description: "Completely frustrated or tired of a person, situation, or repeated problem."
url: "https://genzdecoded.com/blog/fed-up/"
lang: "en"
published: "2026-07-19"
modified: "2026-07-29"
image: "https://genzdecoded.com/og/blog-fed-up.jpg"
alternates:
  es: "https://genzdecoded.com/es/blog/fed-up.md"
---

![fed up, a GenZ Decoded word deep dive](https://genzdecoded.com/og/blog-fed-up.jpg)

# fed up

adjective/fed UP/also: fed up with, fed-up

Completely frustrated or tired of a person, situation, or repeated problem.

By [Cal Hewitt](https://genzdecoded.com/about/), Gen X · Published Jul 19, 2026 · Updated Jul 29, 2026

Origin

general English

Around

unclear

Popular on

General English in speech

Meaning

## What it means

Fed up means patience has run out after repeated annoyance, disappointment, or effort. It is a long-established informal English phrase, not a new Gen Z term. It can be mildly annoyed or strongly angry depending on context.

See the quick definition in the [fed up dictionary entry](https://genzdecoded.com/dictionary/fed-up/).

Usage

## How to use it

- “I am fed up with the delays.”

    Repeated frustration.

- “She is fed up, not just tired.”

    Emphasizing exhausted patience.

Origin

## Where it came from

The phrase uses the metaphor of being filled or saturated, like someone who has had enough to eat. Standard dictionaries record fed up as an established informal phrase; a single slang coiner is not applicable.

Who coined it

No single person is credited, the origin is well-documented.

- [https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fed-up](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fed-up)
- [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fed-up](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fed-up)

Geography

## Where it's popular

General English in speech, writing, work, and everyday conversation.

It is used across generations.

Timeline

## How it caught on

1.  20th centuryFed up became established as an informal phrase for having had enough.
2.  presentIt remains a common general-English expression.
3.  online eraIt is frequently used in captions and reaction posts without changing its core meaning.

Heads up

## Common mix-ups

Fed up does not mean physically full unless the context is food; it usually means emotionally exhausted by something.

Quiz

## Test yourself

### Fed up?

1.  Fed up means:

    - Very excited
    - Confused
    - Tired of something **(correct answer)**
    - Well fed

2.  “Fed up with delays” means:

    - Frustrated by repeated delays **(correct answer)**
    - Planning delays
    - Enjoying delays
    - Eating during delays

3.  Fed up is:

    - An established informal phrase **(correct answer)**
    - A medical acronym
    - A music genre
    - A new app

// the shop [Shop LOST IN TRANSLATION shirts and hoodies for families who speak two kinds of slang](https://genzdecoded.com/shop/)

Related

## Related slang

over it[done](https://genzdecoded.com/dictionary/done/)sick ofannoyed

Keep reading

## More word guides

- [FOMO](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/fomo/)
- [emo](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/emo/)
- [salty](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/salty/)
- [gas](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/gas/)
- [crash out](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/crash-out/)
- [hype](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/hype/)

FAQ

## Questions people ask

### What does fed up mean?

Frustrated or tired of something after having enough of it.

### Is fed up slang?

It is an established informal English phrase.

### What is another way to say fed up?

Over it, sick of it, or tired of it.

Did you know

The phrase turns a physical feeling of fullness into a metaphor for exhausted patience.

Sources

- [https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fed-up](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fed-up)
- [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fed-up](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fed-up)

[See what's trending](https://genzdecoded.com/trending/)[Browse the dictionary](https://genzdecoded.com/glossary/)