DRAIN (AWAY) Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

drain (away)

verb

Definition of drain (away)

as in to decrease

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually as the city lost population, its political influence drained away

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for drain (away)

Verb

The researchers’ models suggest that areas near the escarpment could have lost as much as 8 kilometers of rock, with erosion decreasing farther away from the ancient cliff.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
An early positive working relationship has been struck with Ross Wilson, the sporting director, and the pair usually speak multiple times every day, although their volume of conversations may decrease slightly once the transfer window closes.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of decrease

Verb

As more money and attention flow into the space, the challenge is how to capitalize on the cultural cachet of the Grand Slams without diminishing what made that access desirable in the first place.

— Jessica Schiffer, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
And the Ku Klux Klan, though diminished from its earlier power, had not disappeared.

— Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of diminish

Verb

Two of them coincide with areas where satellite radar shows that the ground is actively subsiding.

— Nolan Roth, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2026
After the smoke subsided, residents reported feeling effects from the stench of rotting meat and food from the warehouse interior, where it had been stored frozen on tall racks that were hundreds of feet across.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of subside

Verb

Watts declined Rolling Stone’s multiple requests for an interview and did not specifically address a majority of questions posed to him in a detailed request for comment.

— Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
When first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury in May, Devers declined to learn the position despite Boston’s dearth of options.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of decline

Verb

Then there’s the question of whether demand will taper off, which is difficult to predict.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2026
Rain showers got Wednesday started for most of the Philadelphia area, but that morning precipitation will taper off through midday.

— Bill Kelly, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of taper off

Verb

While players would often flourish on first arriving in McCullum’s dressing room, Root is the only one whose average has not fallen away.

— Ben Jones, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
And once data is sent outside the system covered by HIPAA, the HIPAA limits fall away.

— Jennifer D. Oliva, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of fall away

Verb

The continent's sweltering summer has meanwhile boosted demand for air conditioning and other energy-hungry appliances at a time when demand for gas, widely used for Europe's heating and cooking needs, naturally falls.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
The Oscar winner paired a leopard-print Givenchy fall 2026 dress and the fashion house’s modern take on T-strap high heels.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of fall

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.

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drain

drain (away)

drained

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“Drain (away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drain%20%28away%29. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of drain (away)

verb

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