drain

1 of 2

verb

drained; draining; drains

transitive verb

1
a
: to draw off (liquid) gradually or completely
drained all the water out of the pool
b
: to cause the gradual disappearance of
drain the region's wealth
c
: to exhaust (see exhaust entry 1 sense 1b) physically or emotionally
feeling drained at the end of a long workday
2
a
: to make gradually dry
drain a swamp
b
: to carry away the surface water of
the river that drains the valley
c
: to deplete or empty by or as if by drawing off by degrees or in increments
drained the country of its resources
d
: to empty by drinking the contents of
drain a mug of beer
3
sports : drop sense 7c, sink
drain the putt
drained two free throws
4
obsolete : filter

intransitive verb

1
: to become emptied or freed of liquid by its flowing or dropping
waiting for the tub to drain
2
: to discharge surface or surplus water
drains into the Gulf of Mexico
3
a
: to flow off gradually
b
: to disappear gradually : dwindle
his nervousness drained away, as it always didH. A. Sinclair
drainer noun

drain

2 of 2

noun

1
: a means (such as a pipe) by which usually liquid matter is drained
2
: something that causes depletion : burden
a drain on the city's resources
3
a
: the act of draining
b
: a gradual outflow or withdrawal : depletion
a net drain from the East of five million soulsG. W. Pierson
4
electronics : an electrode in a field-effect transistor toward which charge carriers move compare gate, source
Phrases
down the drain
: to a state of being wasted or irretrievably lost
All their hard work went down the drain.
Choose the Right Synonym for drain

deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency.

deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function.

depleting our natural resources

drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence.

personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit

exhaust stresses a complete emptying.

her lecture exhausted the subject

impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness.

impoverished soil

bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse.

war had bankrupted the nation of resources

Examples of drain in a Sentence

Verb Drain the canned tomatoes before adding them to the pot. The swamp has been drained. I was waiting for the bathtub to drain. The river drains into a lake. Years of civil war have drained the country's resources. The city's emergency fund has been drained. I feel totally drained of energy this evening. Noun The drain in the bathtub is blocked.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
De-icing salt from passing vehicles, as well as snow or water containing de-icing salt piled on or draining into gardens adds to the challenge. Melinda Myers, Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 However, the pattern is not indicative of a bank run, which these days can drain a lender of funds in mere hours. Krystal Hur, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 His personal tipping point was the treatment of Black swimmers at a Pasadena public pool: They were allowed only on Wednesdays; the pool was drained before the white swimmers came back on Thursday. Kc Cole, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 Curry began the game 4-for-4 with 10 points, sending the Bucks to a timeout by draining a pull-up jumper from 32 feet out. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 At the end of the vlog, her father makes a brief appearance as Isabella prepares for an unexpected surgery to drain fluid from the back of her head. Shania Russell, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024 The Panthers went 0 of 8 from the field to start and were down 49-36 before Goddard drained a three-pointer with 2:51 left in the game. Erick Taylor, arkansasonline.com, 29 Feb. 2024 High-interest credit card balances and lines of credit impede wealth building by draining cash flow. Michael Cannivet, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Instead of saying yes to plans or people that drain you, send them to voicemail, RSVP no, or put your phone on Do Not Disturb. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
But recently, the drain broke and runoff water was instead flowing down at the toe of the slope, eating away at the roadway. Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 The body was found in a sewage drain in Franklin County shortly after 1 a.m. Friday, Columbus Police Chief Elaine R. Bryant said at a news conference. Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024 Bryant alleged that Maye told officers that Darnell's body was possibly in a sewage drain. Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 Ohio police recovered a body believed to be that of missing 5-year-old Darnell Taylor in a sewer drain early Friday morning, authorities said. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2024 The city crews also cleared drains as the storm could cause localized flooding if they get backed up. Jim Foerster, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Here’s the scoop on the most delicious syrups and the bottles best squeezed down the drain. Jolene Thym, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 Advertisement The drain was filling up fast, but Anaheim Fire and Rescue was able to help the woman out at around 10:40 a.m., getting her onto the bank of the river and then up to safety, McClintock said. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 When water from a hot shower or laundry cycle washes down the drain, its excess energy often goes to waste. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English draynen, from Old English drēahnian — more at dry

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Noun

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drain was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near drain

Cite this Entry

“Drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drain. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

drain

1 of 2 verb
1
a
: to draw off or flow off gradually or completely
drain water from a tank
b
: to exhaust physically or emotionally
2
: to make or become gradually dry or empty
drain a swamp
drained the country of its resources
drainer noun

drain

2 of 2 noun
1
: a means (as a pipe, channel, or sewer) of draining
2
a
: the act of draining
b
: a gradual using up
3
: something that causes a using up
a drain on our resources

Medical Definition

drain

1 of 2 transitive verb
1
a
: to draw off (liquid) gradually or completely
drain pus from an abscess
b
: to exhaust physically or emotionally
2
: to carry away or give passage to a bodily fluid or a discharge from
drain an abscess
the eustachian tube drains the middle earH. G. Armstrong

intransitive verb

: to flow off gradually
blood draining from a wound

drain

2 of 2 noun
: a tube or cylinder usually of absorbent material for drainage of a wound see cigarette drain

More from Merriam-Webster on drain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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