Be at your wits’ end Definition 1 of 1Pro Tip 1/3Emotion Intensity The phrase expresses strong frustration or anxiety when no options seem to work. She was at her wits' end trying to control the rowdy classroom. Pro Tip 2/3Personal Limits It suggests a person has reached the limit of their ability or patience. Lost in the city, I was at my wits' end looking for the hotel. Pro Tip 3/3Figurative Use This is a figurative expression, meaning it should not be taken literally. The puzzle had him at his wits' end; it was really complicated.