consuming 1 of 2

adjective

kən-ˈsü-miŋ How to pronounce consuming (audio)
Definition of consumingnext
as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest didn't find the plot of the novel particularly consuming

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

consuming

2 of 2

verb

present participle of consume
1
as in devouring
to destroy all trace of massive fires had consumed hundreds of square miles of forest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spending
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
3
as in eating
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 consuming
Adjective
The cramps that felt sharper, deeper, more consuming than what friends described. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 1 May 2026 But that’s a less consuming point to Kelce now than ever before. — Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2025
Verb
Last week, ProPublica detailed the case of two girls severely sickened last year after consuming raw goat milk from an unregulated farm in southern California. — Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2026 That means an e-reader can display a page for hours while consuming essentially no display power between updates. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consuming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consuming
  1. interesting
  2. devouring
  3. spending
  4. eating
  5. engaging
  6. draining
  7. exhausting
  8. absorbing
Adjective
  • Those are impressive numbers, but the interesting part is how Creality has arrived at them.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • And here’s where your Social Security concern gets interesting.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of interesting
Verb
  • Just like today’s tentacled ocean dwellers, the Mesozoic squid ancestor likely had no problem devouring its relatives—or even members of its own species.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Davis loved to read and collect books, devouring anything from John Updike and Margaret Atwood, among other authors, a passion that necessitated having bookshelves in every room of his home.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of devouring
Verb
  • Originally from Mexico, Casillas immigrated to the United States at age 20 and has now been here for 50 years, spending decades building relationships within the community.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Later, after Nicole and her mother moved to other parts of the city, Nicole began spending time in Kensington, and Diane eventually moved there to be near her, Halloran-Koren said.
    — Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of spending
Verb
  • The whole affair had a playfully casual mood, with Edwards casually eating his dinner while presenting the prizes and gleefully razzing the winners during their acceptance speeches.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Upgrading malls with food halls that aim to elevate the eating experience is an attempt to make malls relevant again, said food hall consultant Phil Colicchio in a bullish 2026 industry report.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of eating
Adjective
  • The goal is to make the information clearer, more accessible, and more engaging for new motorists.
    — Kellye Lynn, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Set against the backdrop of the early 1970s, the series offers a warm and engaging portrayal of their relationship and the events surrounding it.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of engaging
Verb
  • Eating triggers saliva production, but a stone can keep the saliva from draining, causing the gland to swell.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 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 draining
Verb
  • So, get ready for mountain vistas and exhausting cycling days to take your breath away and questions about your life choices to swirl around in your head!
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026
  • On the third bike was Jenny Brookes, Zero's senior global brand manager, who rode a standard DSR/X adventure bike for approximately 239 miles (384 km) before exhausting its battery.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhausting
Adjective
  • Its 14 essays comprise an absorbing investigation into the art of translation, the sheer pleasure of reading the classics, and the insights such reading can bring.
    — David Conrads, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Orlean consistently demonstrates that terrific nonfiction writing can be as absorbing as fiction.
    — The Know, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of absorbing

Browse Nearby Words

consumes
consuming
consummate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consuming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consuming. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fervid

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All