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

Beijing did not have to fire a shot, spend vast sums or use up political capital. — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 17 July 2026

The speed then drops once the battery power is used up before braking into Les Combes. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 15 July 2026

Some sets have travel-size items instead of full-size, which lowers the value and will be used up faster. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

This dish is a filling alternative that will use up the juicy, ripe summer tomatoes that seem to come in by the bucket in late summer. — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 13 July 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