(British, Irish, Commonwealth, vulgar, slang) Exhausted.
(British, Irish, Commonwealth, vulgar, slang) Exhausted.
I woke at 17:05 and felt totally bollocked. After a shower, I went to the NAAFI for some sarnies and orange juice.
"bollocked" is a strong or offensive slang term meaning exhausted. Teens often use words like this for shock value or to bond with peers, without fully appreciating who could be hurt by them. The concern is less the word itself and more whether it is aimed at a particular person or group. A short, matter-of-fact conversation about who hears these words and how they land is usually more effective than banning the word outright.
"bollocked" is a strong or offensive slang term meaning exhausted. Teens often use words like this for shock value or to bond with peers, without fully appreciating who could be hurt by them. The concern is less the word itself and more whether it is aimed at a particular person or group. A short, matter-of-fact conversation about who hears these words and how they land is usually more effective than banning the word outright.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Add your own interpretation of "bollocked".
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with B.
The unmistakable vibe someone gives off when they've recently been severely reprimanded — quiet, deflated, avoiding eye contact, doing whatever they're told without pushback. Used in British and online slang to describe that chastened, walking-on-eggshells demeanor after getting an earful.
A state of being severely told off, punished, or in deep trouble — used in British slang contexts to describe the period after getting a serious dressing-down from a boss, parent, or authority figure. Implies total shutdown, sheepishness, and lying low after a public or private scolding.
(slang, vulgar) drunk.
(UK, Ireland, vulgar) A severe reprimand.
"bollocked" is highly informal and vulgar English meaning exhausted. It is mainly heard in British English (and Irish English). A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "exhausted" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake for non-native speakers is to use "bollocked" thinking it is neutral; in fact it is rude and can offend, so avoid it in writing or in any professional setting. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
“I don’t know where you’ve been lately but ‘leadership’ is most definitely realigning us with the EU & was recently in Armenia with EU leaders working on what becomes of NATO. KS kept us out of Trump’s idiotic war & Reeves just bollocked Scott Bessent. Our future’s with Europe.”
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