exhausts; exhausted; exhausting
1
: to use all of someone's mental or physical energy : to tire out or wear out (someone) completely
If you keep working these long hours, you're just going to exhaust yourself. = Working these long hours will just exhaust you.
2
a
: to completely use up (something, such as supplies or money)
If they keep spending this way, they'll exhaust their savings.
b
: to try all of (something)
They've exhausted (all) the possibilities. [=they've tried everything they can]
3
: to consider or talk about (a subject) thoroughly or completely
He can talk about baseball for hours and still feel that he hasn't exhausted the subject/topic.
plural exhausts
1
: the mixture of gases produced by an engine
diesel exhaust from passing trucks
exhaust fumes
smog from automobile exhaust
2
: a pipe or system of pipes through which exhaust is released
There's a problem with the car's exhaust.
called also exhaust pipe, ((chiefly US)) tailpipe
Cite this Entry
“Exhaust.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/exhaust. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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