half-dead
One foot in
Half-dead means extremely exhausted, weakened, or close to collapse—though not literally dying.
Someone half-dead with fatigue can barely function: I was half-dead by the time I finished the marathon.
It can also describe things barely functioning: a half-dead battery, half-dead houseplants.
The phrase emphasizes severity through hyperbole.
Prone to poor health
debilitated · failing · deteriorating · wasting · fading · declining · bedridden · pallid
Emptied of resources
- fatiguedDrained of energy
- wearyDeeply tired, spent
- spentExhausted or disbursed
- knackeredBritish for exhausted
shattered · frazzled · flagging · listless · zombie-like · sleep-deprived · overworked · overwhelmed
Dried and shrunken
- wiltedLimp from dehydration
- dyingCeasing to live
- rottingOrganic matter decomposing
- shriveledContracted from moisture loss
desiccated · parched · blighted · moribund · dilapidated · crumbling · neglected · abandoned
sickly
Prone to poor health
weakened · debilitated · failing · deteriorating · wasting · fading · declining · bedridden · pallid · gaunt
drained
Emptied of resources
knackered · shattered · frazzled · flagging · listless · zombie-like · sleep-deprived · overworked · overwhelmed · crashed
withered
Dried and shrunken
shriveled · desiccated · parched · blighted · moribund · dilapidated · crumbling · neglected · abandoned · decrepit
persevering
Maintaining effort despite difficulty
- enduringPersisting through time
- resilientAble to recover quickly
- tenaciousStubbornly determined to continue
defiant · struggling · fighting · recovering · reviving · rallying · survivor · comeback · lifeline · last-gasp
half-deadthriving
Succeeding vigorously
alive and well · vibrant · full of life · vital · flourishing