as in exhausted
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
we were completely drained after shoveling snow all afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pumped
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
we drained the water from the tank before cleaning it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in consumed
to make complete use of
virtually drained the country's natural resources
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tired
to use up all the physical energy of
the long hike drained us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drained
James Verini, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Increase heat to medium, add drained pasta; cook, stirring constantly, until a creamy sauce forms and clings to pasta, about 2 minutes.
—Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
What starts as small talk always ends up in heated debates that leave me feeling drained and resentful.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Norrased sought to reassure him, telling him that the water was being drained, and handing over blankets and food.
—Jintamas Saksornchai, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Kareem chased it down in the corner, did a bit of a tightrope act to stay inbounds, then turned around and drained it with near-perfect form.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
Fahrenheit or below after they have been properly washed and drained, suggests Tiess.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
The project is part of the Corps’ larger Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan — a multibillion-dollar effort spanning at least three decades to preserve the Everglades after development drained and ruined them.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Every couple of years, the water turns murky, regardless, and the whole tank has to be drained and refilled, explains Polojärvi.
—Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
In March 2025 the protocol’s liquidity vault was nearly drained by a coordinated manipulation of a thinly traded token, an episode resolved only when validators voted to force settlement at a pre-manipulation price.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The right travel essentials can mean the difference in arriving at your destination refreshed or completely drained.
—Mia McManus, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Adjective
Images of the shelter slipped the Russian choke hold to appear on the world’s screens—intact and unbowed amid the rubble, like a temple time-transported from some more ancient siege, the faces of those within drained but resolute.
—James Verini, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Increase heat to medium, add drained pasta; cook, stirring constantly, until a creamy sauce forms and clings to pasta, about 2 minutes.
—Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
What starts as small talk always ends up in heated debates that leave me feeling drained and resentful.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
While Oklahoma City shot just 10-for-40 from 3-point land (including 0-for-5 from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 1-for-9 from Lu Dort), the Spurs drained 15 3s in 41 attempts, with four each from Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Norrased sought to reassure him, telling him that the water was being drained, and handing over blankets and food.
—Jintamas Saksornchai, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Kareem chased it down in the corner, did a bit of a tightrope act to stay inbounds, then turned around and drained it with near-perfect form.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
Fahrenheit or below after they have been properly washed and drained, suggests Tiess.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
The project is part of the Corps’ larger Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan — a multibillion-dollar effort spanning at least three decades to preserve the Everglades after development drained and ruined them.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Every couple of years, the water turns murky, regardless, and the whole tank has to be drained and refilled, explains Polojärvi.
—Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
In March 2025 the protocol’s liquidity vault was nearly drained by a coordinated manipulation of a thinly traded token, an episode resolved only when validators voted to force settlement at a pre-manipulation price.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The right travel essentials can mean the difference in arriving at your destination refreshed or completely drained.
—Mia McManus, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drained
Adjective
-
International cave-diving teams are navigating jagged, zero-visibility passages while weighing whether to guide the exhausted, untrained villagers underwater or wait for receding floodwaters, echoing dilemmas from Thailand’s 2018 cave rescue.—
Jintamas Saksornchai,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
Rice looked exhausted a few weeks back but returned to form as the season reached its climax.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Delta has pumped the money saved into upgrading its beverage service for flights between 350 and 500 miles.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
-
The ball cleared the top of the wall by about six feet, as Grissom pumped his fist rounding first base.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Sometime in the mid-sixties, Sam brought home a coffee-table book about astrology, and Linda became consumed by it, launching into a self-education that approached mania.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
In addition to being harmful to humans, certain types of mushrooms can be poisonous to pets if consumed.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
But muddy conditions led to slop and chaos, and tired out the front-runners after a very fast opening pace, clearing the way for the closer to do his thing.—
Peter Keating,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
Plus, their fabric and fill are less likely to accrue that ever-darkening yellowish stain that tired goose down pillows acquire over time, thanks to sweat, oils, lotion residues, etc.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Armed gangs, now in control of most of the capital, have emptied out entire neighborhoods, shuttered schools and set looted and set fire to hospitals.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
-
With the turf greased by his players, who had emptied their water bottles in anticipation, Glasner slid through the guard of honour on his belly to mimic his celebration after winning the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Toomey spent an afternoon with Hulst in his final weeks.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
Crow and Creepy, the call signs of two soldiers from the 24th Mechanized Brigade, have spent 344 and 334 days respectively, non-stop, in frontline dugouts.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
As Rosalind disguised as a boy, Adele wore a bolo tie and a low-slung gun belt with a six-shooter.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Fanny wore a belt strapped across her narrow hips, her eyes clear and bright, jewels on her nails, a cigarette often tucked into her belt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
That sucked most of the ticket-holders and nearly all of the life out of the stadium.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
30 May 2026
-
In the political thriller, ex-CIA operative Jack gets sucked back into the secret-agent game and teams up with old friends – plus a new MI6 officer (Sienna Miller) – to stop a black-ops squad from causing global chaos.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drained. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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