exhaustion

noun

ex·​haus·​tion ig-ˈzȯs-chən 

: the act or process of exhausting : the state of being exhausted

Synonyms of exhaustion

• fatigue
• collapse

Examples of exhaustion in a Sentence

He worked to the point of complete exhaustion.

the exhaustion of our natural resources

Recent Examples on the Web

The most common feeling right now is depletion and exhaustion—the heatwave intensified the Mercury retrograde’s degrees, stirring up even more trouble. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 26 July 2026

Punch was abandoned by his mother after his birth a year ago Sunday, presumably because of exhaustion. — ABC News, 25 July 2026

Rescue teams must also reach the victim and remove them from the water quickly, particularly when exhaustion, cold or rough conditions could make survival more difficult. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026

This famed chemist had previously extolled the virtues of fertilizer as the answer to soil exhaustion, so his sudden reversal on the issue left a lasting impression on his contemporaries. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing exhaustion

• heat exhaustion

Rhymes for exhaustion

• faustian

Kids Definition

exhaustion

noun

ex·​haus·​tion ig-ˈzȯs-chən 

1

: the act of exhausting

2

: the state of being exhausted

Medical Definition

exhaustion

noun

ex·​haus·​tion ig-ˈzȯs-chən 

1

: the act or process of exhausting : the state of being exhausted

suffered from physical and mental exhaustion

see heat exhaustion

2

: neurosis following overstrain or overexertion especially in military combat

Legal Definition

exhaustion

noun

ex·​haus·​tion

: the act or process of exhausting

even after the exhaustion of direct appellate review

—W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel

specifically : exhaustion of remedies