"Tired is not a word in my vocabulary"
About this Quote
The subtext is a hustle mantra with a smile, but also a protective spell. In Hollywood, "tired" can be misheard as "difficult", "unreliable", "past your peak". For an actress whose appeal was often coded as high-energy, quirky, kinetic, admitting weariness risks becoming a narrative others can weaponize. So she preempts it, turning vulnerability into velocity.
The context matters because Murphy’s career sat at the intersection of tabloid scrutiny and relentless labor expectations: long shoots, promotional tours, the constant need to prove you're grateful, available, effortless. The line plays well in interviews because it flatters the audience's fantasy of boundless drive. It also hints at the cost of that fantasy: a culture where rest sounds like failure, and where the most charming thing you can say is that you don't need what every human body eventually demands.
Quote Details
| Topic | Perseverance |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Murphy, Brittany. (2026, January 15). Tired is not a word in my vocabulary. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/tired-is-not-a-word-in-my-vocabulary-157863/
Chicago Style
Murphy, Brittany. "Tired is not a word in my vocabulary." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/tired-is-not-a-word-in-my-vocabulary-157863/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Tired is not a word in my vocabulary." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/tired-is-not-a-word-in-my-vocabulary-157863/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.







