CONSUME Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

consume

verb

kən-ˈsüm

Definition of consume

as in to devour

to destroy all trace of massive fires had consumed hundreds of square miles of forest

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to spend

to make complete use of the mining company consumed all of the local mineral resources and then moved on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to eat

to take in as food hungry enough to consume most of the pie

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of consume Gripping onto the branch doesn’t consume any additional energy thanks to the special springs built into the fingers. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2026 Though tempeh is still widely consumed and produced throughout Indonesia, tempeh is also commonly eaten across much of Southeast Asia, South Korea, and China. — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026 Indeed, China’s AI models are not far behind, and China possesses an advantage in a factor vital to AI systems – electric power generation, which AI consumes in large and growing quantities. — Stephen Collins, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026 Psychologists estimate that task-switching can consume up to 40% of a person’s productive time. — Petr Marek, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consume

Recent Examples of Synonyms for consume

Verb

Joscha Bach of the California Institute for Machine Consciousness, another AGI pioneer, says a truly intelligent system should not need to devour the entire Internet and consume vast amounts of computing power for even the simplest query.

— George Musser, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
Soon Drews noticed the speed with which her cheesecakes were devoured.

— David Farley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of devour

Verb

Minnesota Secretary of State Scott Simon, a Democrat, said in August that his office expects to spend roughly $250,000 on private vendors to conduct penetration testing, which can expose security vulnerabilities and recommend actionable fixes.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
As part of the arrangement, the elder Ryan agreed to cover the lion’s share of the differences in building a new stadium, originally priced at $830 million, from the $300 million the university planned to spend on renovating the older one.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of spend

Verb

After 25 years of visiting the city—and eating lots of pizza along the way—these are some of my favourite spots.

— Nicky Swallow, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Sep. 2026
There are also casual cafes to grab a bite to eat or a drink, serving everything from beignets and Italian specialties to seafood boils and espresso drinks.

— Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of eat

Verb

Before the attack, millions of books a year were printed in this space, where there’s now nothing but piles of swollen book stock, ruined after firefighters put out the blaze.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
But Timothy Leary’s version became the dominant idea of psychedelics, and when President Ronald Reagan’s War on Drugs began, psychedelics were vilified as the gateway to ruin.

— Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

Excessive Wet Plants that are receiving excessive moisture or are not draining properly can also exhibit signs of decline, the plant expert offers.

— Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
Use fast-draining potting mix so the roots are not exposed to soggy soil for long periods of time.

— Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of drain

Verb

The block that houses Monarch Donuts will soon be demolished as construction starts on a new retail and residential development called the Arcadia Town Center.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Some are also concerned that the president's proposal for the arch, along with other projects like the ballroom and threats to demolish the Kennedy Center, could significantly alter Washington's landscape.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of demolish

Verb

The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have become grinding contests over which side can exhaust the other’s military capacity, economic resources, and political will.

— NADIA SCHADLOW, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026
This change responds to the numerous college athlete-plaintiffs who have exhausted their NCAA eligibility, but who seek to continue playing or return to competition.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

Community meetings focus on eradicating the homeless and protecting property values rather than supporting neighbors or providing shelter.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026
Back then, researchers were focused on eradicating the New World screwworm, a nasty pest that lays its eggs in wounds on living creatures.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of eradicate

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consumable

consume

consumed

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Style

“Consume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consume. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of consume

verb

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