1
as in pumping
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
we drained the water from the tank before cleaning it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in consuming
to make complete use of
virtually drained the country's natural resources
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in killing
to use up all the physical energy of
the long hike drained us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in exhausting
Related Words
Dissimilar 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 draining
Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Soil Any average well-draining soil is fine because these plants are used to tough conditions and adapt well to a variety of soil types.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025
Look for draining or enlarging wounds, as well as signs of discomfort.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Outdoor hardscape areas can be built in layers, with water draining through the surface into an underground stone reservoir.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
Many merchants still repeat the same edits across several dashboards, draining time and creating avoidable errors.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
The work is physically demanding and emotionally draining.
—Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
The threat played out in real time as a live streamer reacted to the malware draining $32,000 in cryptocurrency from a fund to cover their cancer treatment.
—Senior Reporter, PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2025
Watching mainstream British politicians obsess over the threat of Farage is a bit like watching the video on the internet of the guy standing motionless on the beach in Thailand, the water draining around his ankles, waiting for the tsunami to arrive.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Instead of reconnecting, conversations with Ella have become draining and repetitive.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Soil Any average well-draining soil is fine because these plants are used to tough conditions and adapt well to a variety of soil types.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025
Look for draining or enlarging wounds, as well as signs of discomfort.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Outdoor hardscape areas can be built in layers, with water draining through the surface into an underground stone reservoir.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
Many merchants still repeat the same edits across several dashboards, draining time and creating avoidable errors.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
The work is physically demanding and emotionally draining.
—Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
The threat played out in real time as a live streamer reacted to the malware draining $32,000 in cryptocurrency from a fund to cover their cancer treatment.
—Senior Reporter, PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2025
Watching mainstream British politicians obsess over the threat of Farage is a bit like watching the video on the internet of the guy standing motionless on the beach in Thailand, the water draining around his ankles, waiting for the tsunami to arrive.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draining
Verb
-
In Ruidoso, New Mexico, the pounding hooves of racehorses have entranced crowds from across Texas and New Mexico every summer, pumping in millions of dollars from the All-American Derby, Oaks and Futurity races and the steady hum of seasonal jobs that carry this mountain village.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Instead of pumping in conventional air conditioning, it was surrounded by proprietary glass panes filled with cooled water.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
So Much Fun) and others exhausting (the YSL Slime Language comps, 2023’s Business Is Business), as well as too many studio leaks unleashed via message board accounts.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Each one of those alerts puts millions of lives on hold – part of Russia’s strategy of terrorizing and exhausting Ukraine’s civilian population.—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The emergency services Loeb was hearing were headed to the nearby Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where an assailant rammed a car into people before stabbing several members of the community, killing two.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Grand Luna has an unprecedented high-frequency extension that goes as high as 30kHz, while remaining smooth, non-fatiguing, and eliminating harshness or sibilance thanks to Campfire’s acoustic engineering.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Once you’re done sucking away all that excess hair, use the detachable clipper to trim the hair without being tethered by a cord.—
Christine Persaud,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Since then, the Internet has gone about its immemorial business of destroying all incumbent forms of media; not content with vampirizing print, the digital space began sucking the life from pay-TV a dozen years ago.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Robert Zemeckis' comically gruesome look at female beauty standards finds Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn consuming a magic potion that promises eternal life — with a little (nay, a lot) of maintenance.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
-
According to the study, the membrane achieved one of the highest selectivities for lithium among similar technologies while consuming considerably less energy.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To reduce the risk of mosquito bites and West Nile virus, health officials recommend using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and long pants when outdoors, especially during peak mosquito activity at dawn and dusk.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
My social media pages feature all complexions, including fair, medium, deep, and dark, each wearing different blush tones.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Demanding political litmus tests The third tactic may be the most debilitating within the military itself.—
Kristina Mani,
The Conversation,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Measles, mumps and other vaccine-preventable diseases can cause debilitating and permanent damage.—
Michal Ruprecht,
NPR,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Draining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draining. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share