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

Middle-class people must exhaust their assets to qualify, forcing them to sell much of their property and to empty their bank accounts. —Jordan Rau, Fortune Well, 16 Nov. 2023

The 30-year-old is exhausted, hungry and sick from drinking dirty water. —Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023

This left Tolley confused since, in its last communication, Anthem had said all avenues of appeal with its office had been exhausted. —Maya Miller, ProPublica, 8 Nov. 2023

In other words, in many nations, political leaders, dissidents, and social movements, having exhausted so many rotten ideas and endured so much oppression and tragedy, began to push the world in a direction of decency, democracy, and compromise. —David Remnick, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2023

And a slew of federal programs that aid the poor — including those that provide child care, nutrition assistance, college financial aid and housing support — would start to exhaust their reserves in ways that could leave low-income families facing new financial strains. —Tony Romm, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023

Automatic cuts to Social Security are estimated to come in 2035 unless something is done, and the Medicare Hospital Trust Fund is expected to be exhausted between 2028 and 2031. —Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 9 Nov. 2023

Despite the new assessment of exhausting the carbon budget by 2029, the planet is now so close to exceeding the 1.5-degree warming threshold that the exact timing isn’t significant, says Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth System Science at Stanford University. —Stephanie Ebbs, ABC News, 1 Nov. 2023

During his early shows, Darnielle would translate his enthusiasm by screaming and shaking, exhausting himself on stage. —Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2023

Noun

Mazda’s signature smiling grille is present, but otherwise, there are no large intakes, big exhaust tips, or other typical sports car cues. —Daniel Golson, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2023

Turn on Exhaust Fans Bathroom fans and kitchen exhaust fans draw heat and humidity away from your house. —Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2023

The Chesapeake cowboys rode into St. Michaels, Md., on a steamy Sunday in August, and the air smelled like crab seasoning and diesel exhaust, with a dash of light beer and lime. —Jason Nark Kent Nishimura, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023

At this time, Lamborghinis would spit exhaust flames and randomly catch fire in traffic. —Clifford Atiyeh, Robb Report, 13 Nov. 2023

Shale fields require constant drilling of new wells because production exhausts after a few years. —Clifford Krauss, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2023

Still, its supercharged V-8 is ready to emit exciting sounds from its exhaust pipes. —Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 31 Aug. 2023

Other suppliers played a big role too, like Dearborn Steel Tubing (DST), who cemented its position as supplier of Ford exhaust systems and high-performance parts. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2023

Triggers Participants identified several triggers for motion sickness, including roads with frequent turns (72 percent), cigarette or exhaust smells (71 percent), and curvy roads (70.5 percent). —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 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