exhaust

1 of 2

verb

ex·​haust ig-ˈzȯst How to pronounce exhaust (audio)
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 noun
exhaustible 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
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
Retirees would also be facing a bigger benefit cut, up to 33% of their monthly checks rather than the 23% currently forecast, when the trust fund is exhausted, the group estimates. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024 Make people exhausted, confused, thinking the political system doesn’t work anymore. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
This could include excessive honking, a loud exhaust or a vehicle playing loud music along the streets. Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024 Metzger had several works that captured auto exhaust within a cube to make visible the pollutants. Tom Teicholz, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for exhaust 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhaust was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near exhaust

Cite this Entry

“Exhaust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhaust. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

exhaust

1 of 2 verb
ex·​haust ig-ˈzȯst How to pronounce exhaust (audio)
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 noun
exhaustible 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 How to pronounce exhaust (audio)
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 StateU.S. Code
b
: to bring (a claim) through all available prior levels of review
each of his claims would now be exhaustedW. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel

More from Merriam-Webster on exhaust

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