max out

verb

maxed out; maxing out; maxes out

intransitive verb

: to reach an upper limit or a peak

the car maxed out at 85 mph

transitive verb

: to push to a limit or an extreme

also : to use up all available credit on

maxed out the credit cards

Examples of max out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the minor shoots themselves or someone else, causing serious injuries, penalties can max out at 10 years in prison and a $7,500 fine. —Jack Springgate, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

And Sundance’s profile rose with it, encouraging generations of aspiring moviemakers to max out their credit cards and bet it all on the chance of getting their movies into the festival. —Brent Lang, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026

Hu says that individual physical activities also generally max out at a certain point, beyond which people don’t accrue much additional health benefit. —Alice Park, Time, 20 Jan. 2026

Wild American persimmon trees usually max out at around 15 to 30 feet tall in gardens. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for max out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout