CONSUME Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

consume

verb

kən-ˈsüm

Definition of consume

as in to devour

to destroy all trace of massive fires had consumed hundreds of square miles of forest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to spend

to make complete use of the mining company consumed all of the local mineral resources and then moved on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to eat

to take in as food hungry enough to consume most of the pie

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of consume Their presence may pose a risk depending on the amount consumed and the age and body weight of the person using the product. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 The exact quantity of water consumed by AI data centers remains debated. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026 The buildout has faced backlash from communities and activists who argue such projects would raise utility costs for locals and consume significant amounts of water. — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Srour says this distinction could make a difference, as eating a small snack after an early dinner may not have the same impact as consuming a large, rich meal shortly before sleep. — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consume

Recent Examples of Synonyms for consume

Verb

Usually, either a star and its companion mind their own business or the star completely and rapidly devours its neighbor.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026
Soon Drews noticed the speed with which her cheesecakes were devoured.

— David Farley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of devour

Verb

And 84% of fans who track players, pundits or creators spent on sport last year, compared with 43% of those who track none.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Davis and Young combined for 31 points in 17 minutes largely, if not entirely, spent on the floor together.

— Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of spend

Verb

Stitt, who grew up in Cullman, an hour north, the son of a country doctor, reminisces about traveling to eat with his parents—to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami.

— Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
The pastors, authors and avid outdoorsmen harvest several deer during hunting season each year, filling their freezers with venison to be eaten.

— Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of eat

Verb

On Monday, workers hauled out a 200-pound piece of equipment that was ruined by the saltwater and sand carried in on the high tides.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
So our goal is to learn how to maximize AI budgets, not ration them and ruin productivity gains.

— Konstantin Klyagin, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

Flash flooding is of greatest concern in the Jonas Ridge, Ginger Cake Acres and Pisgah National Forest areas, along with streams and waterways that drain toward Lake James, Burke County officials said.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
On the ground floor, outside the main building, a humanoid was flat on its back after draining its battery during a demo.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of drain

Verb

And then the way the government dealt with them, which was to just demolish them, is also kind of prescient.

— Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attended the demolition and said Israeli authorities had demolished more than 10,000 structures built without permits over the past year and a half.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of demolish

Verb

Unsurprisingly, Chinese researchers have predicted that the main urban pension fund covering some 500 million urban workers, retirees, and cadres will be exhausted by the mid-2030s.

— Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
In June, the NCAA ruled the class of 2022 had exhausted their eligibility.

— PJ Green October 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

But somehow, in the midst of all this frat-boy revelry, Ilya is able to outline his vision for the future, one in which AI will have solved numerous human problems, including eradicating not only cancer but also loneliness and unhappiness.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
This park is the result of the Tompkins’ passion for this part of the world and their desire to rewild this part of Chile that had been overfarmed and overgrazed to the point of almost eradicating its native flora and fauna.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of eradicate

Browse Nearby Words

consumable

consume

consumed

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Style

“Consume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consume. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of consume

verb

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