exhaust

1 of 2

verb

ex·​haust ig-ˈzȯst 

exhausted; exhausting; exhausts

transitive verb

1

a

: to consume entirely : use up

exhausted our funds in a week

b

: to tire extremely or completely

exhausted by overwork

c

: to deprive of a valuable quality or constituent

exhaust a soil of fertility

2

a

: to draw off or let out completely

b

: to empty by drawing off the contents

specifically : to create a vacuum in

3

a

: to consider or discuss (a subject) thoroughly or completely

b

: to try out the whole number of

exhausted all the possibilities

intransitive verb

: discharge, empty

the engine exhausts through the muffler

exhauster noun

exhaustibility

ig-ˌzȯ-stə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

exhaustible

ig-ˈzȯ-stə-bəl 

adjective

exhaust

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: the escape of used gas or vapor from an engine

b

: the gas or vapor thus escaping

2

a

: the conduit through which used gases escape

b

: an arrangement for removing fumes, dusts, or odors from an enclosure

3

: exhaustion

Synonyms

Verb

• break
• burn out
• bust
• do in
• do up
• drain
• fag
• fatigue
• frazzle
• harass
• kill
• knock out
• outwear
• tire
• tucker (out)
• wash out
• wear
• wear out
• weary

Choose the Right Synonym for exhaust

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

tire, weary, fatigue, exhaust, jade mean to make or become unable or unwilling to continue.

tire implies a draining of one's strength or patience.

the long ride tired us out

weary stresses tiring until one is unable to endure more of the same thing.

wearied of the constant arguing

fatigue suggests great lassitude from excessive strain or undue effort.

fatigued by the day's chores

exhaust implies complete draining of strength by hard exertion.

shoveling snow exhausted him

jade suggests the loss of all freshness and eagerness.

appetites jaded by overindulgence

Examples of exhaust in a Sentence

Verb

If they keep spending this way, they'll exhaust their savings.

He can talk about baseball for hours and still feel that he hasn't exhausted the subject.

Noun

diesel exhaust from passing trucks

There's a problem with the car's exhaust.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

His options exhausted, Mr. Phillips became a model prisoner and a jailhouse lawyer. —Robert D. McFadden, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023

That fire burned and produced smoke for four days, leaving first responders exhausted and residents wondering what was in the air and concerned about the potential for contaminated runoff. —Gregory Barber, WIRED, 8 Sep. 2023

Lower-income students monitor their meal spending to keep from exhausting their account. —David Leonhardt, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023

When the first allocation was exhausted, more than 100,000 Melbourne fans remained in the queue. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 4 Sep. 2023

The program is projected to exhaust its cash by 2033, NPR notes, with projections that 66 million people stand to have their benefits curtailed by up to 25%. —Chloe Berger, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2023

But how is he not exhausted by his extraordinary year in projects? —Jen Yamato, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023

Because many nursing sessions end with the baby fast asleep (and the parent utterly exhausted), these pillows have taken on double duty as a napping spot for babies. —Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 29 Aug. 2023

At first, Weiner would bike 20 miles or so, and that kind of distance would exhaust her enough to stop her brain from whirring, at least temporarily. —Stephanie Merry, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2023

Noun

Platinum helps make catalytic converters, reducing emissions from automobile exhaust. —Laxmi Corp, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Sep. 2023

If the mold is caused by moisture in the bathroom, consider adding an exhaust fan or running a dehumidifier to reduce heat and dampness. —Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2023

Border guards found a seat on the hull, and in a plume of acrid exhaust, the tanks pulled away from the tree line toward their next objective. —Serhii Korolchuk, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023

The exhaust note is pleasant—the SSEi has two mufflers, fed through one catalytic converter. —Steven Cole Smith, Car and Driver, 2 Sep. 2023

There’s also a titanium exhaust system on the list. —Howard Walker, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2023

Mary Mangan That same month, during a segment on CBS News, a neighbor aired concerns about his truck’s exhaust sustaining $1,600 in damage from an unmarked speed hump on Kidder Avenue. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2023

Introduction But calculating the number of maps for any difference larger than 100 exhausts modern computing power. —Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 22 Aug. 2023

This allows a little bit of fresh fuel, oil, and air to escape the engine along with the exhaust. —Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 16 Aug. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin exhaustus, past participle of exhaurire, from ex- + haurire to draw; akin to Middle High German œsen to empty, Greek auein to take

First Known Use

Verb

1531, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing exhaust

• exhaust (all) the possibilities

• exhaust (all) the possibilities

Kids Definition

exhaust

1 of 2 verb

ex·​haust ig-ˈzȯst 

1

a

: to use up completely

exhausted our funds

b

: to use up all of the mental or physical energy of : tire, wear out

2

a

: to draw off or let out completely

exhaust the air from the jar

b

: to empty by drawing something from

3

: to try out all of

they exhausted all possibilities

exhauster noun

exhaustibility

-ˌzȯ-stə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

exhaustible

-ˈzȯ-stə-bəl 

adjective

exhaust

2 of 2 noun

1

: the gas that escapes from an engine

2

: a system of pipes through which exhaust escapes

Medical Definition

exhaust

transitive verb

ex·​haust ig-ˈzȯst 

1

a

: to draw off or let out completely

b

: to empty by drawing off the contents

specifically : to create a vacuum in

2

a

: to use up : consume completely

b

: to tire extremely or completely

exhausted by overwork

3

: to extract completely with a solvent

exhaust a drug with alcohol

Legal Definition

exhaust

transitive verb

ex·​haust

: to use up or consume entirely: as

a

: to try all of (available remedies)

the applicant has exhausted the remedies available in the courts of the State

—U.S. Code

b

: to bring (a claim) through all available prior levels of review

each of his claims would now be exhausted

—W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel