as in exhausting
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in pumping
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 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
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Recent Examples of draining
Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025
By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
Wembanyama made a 3-pointer, but Raptors star Barnes ended it by draining his only shot of the game.
—Greg Beacham, Twin Cities, 16 Feb. 2026
Cacti need well-draining soil and pots, but all growing mixes and pot drainage holes are not the same.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2026
Generally, succulents need well-draining soil.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Loam holds water just long enough for plant roots to absorb it (alongside the nutrients contained in the water), while still draining efficiently.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
But the storks suffered when developers and agriculture operations began the ditching and draining that eventually compromised some 35% of South Florida's wetlands, where the majority of the birds nested.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
And, while many people try to resolve tax issues on their own, the process can be confusing, time-consuming and emotionally draining, so getting the right help can make all the difference.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
The drugs may calm the water without draining the pool.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Long periods of socializing, like a weeklong conference, can feel far more draining than shorter events.
—Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025
By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
To prevent this from happening again, repot the peace lily in fresh soil that is well-draining.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
Wembanyama made a 3-pointer, but Raptors star Barnes ended it by draining his only shot of the game.
—Greg Beacham, Twin Cities, 16 Feb. 2026
Cacti need well-draining soil and pots, but all growing mixes and pot drainage holes are not the same.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2026
Generally, succulents need well-draining soil.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Loam holds water just long enough for plant roots to absorb it (alongside the nutrients contained in the water), while still draining efficiently.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
But the storks suffered when developers and agriculture operations began the ditching and draining that eventually compromised some 35% of South Florida's wetlands, where the majority of the birds nested.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
And, while many people try to resolve tax issues on their own, the process can be confusing, time-consuming and emotionally draining, so getting the right help can make all the difference.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
The drugs may calm the water without draining the pool.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draining
Adjective
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Being a Democrat can be exhausting sometimes.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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My bags are stable, my hands are free, and long walks through massive terminals are far less exhausting.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This year’s scene saw Reddick fist-pumping through the delirium of his first Daytona 500 win in front of 150,000 fans on the frontstretch for a while.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Feb. 2026
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At its best, Tudor’s out-of-possession approach is suffocating, a full-blooded style that excites fans and sets adrenaline pumping through the team.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fiber intake, in particular, showed a strong association with longevity, while consuming lots of sugary beverages was linked to higher all-cause mortality.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
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What’s more, in athletes, typical signs of an eating disorder, such as training for long hours without appropriate breaks for meals or obsessing about only consuming certain healthy foods, can be overlooked due to the normalization of these behaviors in high-level sports.—
Emily Hemendinger,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Also on Tuesday, Indivisible CT is conducting an anti-ICE rally on the state Capitol lawn, taking political aim at a federal agency that has fallen sharply out of public favor after killing two American citizens in Minnesota and roughing up scores of others.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
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The ex-husband of former First Lady Jill Biden, who has been accused of killing his wife late last year, pleaded not guilty in the case during a virtual court appearance on Tuesday.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
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Israel has also accused Hamas of siphoning aid and taxing goods for its survival.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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The energy on the Invite deal is so intense that its siphoning off attention on other sales titles, said one source.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The fiscal angst is most obvious in urban school districts, where enrollment declines are most severe and where unions are the strongest, often spending heavily to elect friendly school board members.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Pritzker’s $56 billion election-year budget plan represents one of the smallest increases in state spending the governor has proposed since the governor took office in 2019.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Take Keke Palmer in a butter yellow and cream vintage Dior bustier dress with a scarf-tie waist, or Kate Hudson, who combined all the mid-10s and boho trends by wearing a leathery peplum and balloon pants by Chloé.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
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The post comes days after Meghan made a surprise solo appearance at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala in Los Angeles, wearing a dusty rose Harbison Studio gown with black piping and a dramatic black cape.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Draining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draining. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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