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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Contributions max out at $5,000 a year. Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026 Commission rates at the online consignment shop start at 40 percent and max out at 70 percent. Alexis Bennett, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026 But, by the time an officer clears the probationary period, the lowest a PII currently makes is $63,749 and the rank appears to max out at $77,100. Lucas Finton, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 18 Feb. 2026 Most state payments max out at $500 or $600 a week, a quarter of what many upper-middle-class employees earn. Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for max out

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of max out was in 1967

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Cite this Entry

“Max out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/max%20out. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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