use up

verb

used up; using up; uses up

transitive verb

: to exhaust of strength or useful properties

land that has been used up

Synonyms of use up

• spend
• consume
• drain
• exhaust
• play out
• draw down
• run out of
• reduce
• use
• absorb
• burn

Examples of use up in a Sentence

we used up the last of the flour when we made the waffles

Recent Examples on the Web

And the United States has already used up many critical munitions and strained its troops in the region by keeping the war going. — James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026

The company is also grappling with AI costs after employees used up their entire 2026 budget for the technology in just four months, according to media reports. — Akash Sriram, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Skeptics worry some students will use up their lifetime 12-semester Pell benefits in short-term programs, rather than pursuing a bachelor’s degree, with potentially higher earnings prospects. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026

This summer side dish is an easy way to use up fresh okra from the farmers’ market. — Brennan Long, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for use up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

use up

verb

: to make complete use of : exhaust

used up all the supplies