as in exhausting
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
George Caulkin, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
According to the GoFundMe, which was started by Wall, Leo is facing a long recovery and currently has a tube draining saliva.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
Use rich, well-draining soil like standard potting mix or a blend of potting soil, compost, and perlite.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Canned beans may be high in sodium, so many healthcare providers recommend draining and rinsing them to remove excess sodium.
—Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 1 Nov. 2025
But other worries abound, a la O’Leary’s remarks about extras, to say nothing of broader cultural detriments like brain-draining our college students.
—Andy Crump, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
The following weeks were emotionally draining.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Some impersonated tax officers to frighten British pensioners into draining their life savings into suspicious bank accounts; others peddled irresistible student loan offers to American high schoolers.
—Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
Picking the Wrong Location Planting fruit trees in overly shady spots or poorly draining soil inhibits fruiting and makes your plants more susceptible to pests, diseases, and rot.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2025
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
In the moments before Murphy’s goal, Jarrod Bowen had struck the right post, but the sense of hope draining from West Ham’s ground was lost on Howe’s players.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
According to the GoFundMe, which was started by Wall, Leo is facing a long recovery and currently has a tube draining saliva.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
Use rich, well-draining soil like standard potting mix or a blend of potting soil, compost, and perlite.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Canned beans may be high in sodium, so many healthcare providers recommend draining and rinsing them to remove excess sodium.
—Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 1 Nov. 2025
But other worries abound, a la O’Leary’s remarks about extras, to say nothing of broader cultural detriments like brain-draining our college students.
—Andy Crump, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
The following weeks were emotionally draining.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Some impersonated tax officers to frighten British pensioners into draining their life savings into suspicious bank accounts; others peddled irresistible student loan offers to American high schoolers.
—Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
Picking the Wrong Location Planting fruit trees in overly shady spots or poorly draining soil inhibits fruiting and makes your plants more susceptible to pests, diseases, and rot.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for draining
Adjective
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There’s nothing more exhausting than wrestling a mattress pad over the corners of your mattress, but this one’s deep pockets can fit mattresses up to 16 inches thick.—
Jamie Fischer,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Nov. 2025
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We’re used to seeing Survivor players doubling over or collapsing after an exhausting challenge in intense heat.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Your Heart Gets Healthier Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improving its efficiency in pumping blood throughout the body.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
4 Nov. 2025
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For years, major medical organizations like the American Heart Association have recommended aiming to get at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity a week.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Nutrient-rich agricultural runoff and sewage cause huge algal blooms, and when these algae die and sink, bacteria bloom in turn, consuming so much oxygen that few other organisms survive at lower depths.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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Other methods use enzymes to isolate cells, but those procedures are time consuming and can threaten useful cell characteristics.—
Perri Thaler,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Wuornos was convicted of first-degree murder in 1992 for killing Mallory and sentenced to death.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Three years later, Wuornos began the killing spree for which she would be remembered, murdering at least six men in Florida between 1989 and 1990.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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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Then, in mid-2024, seemingly out of the blue, the 59-year-old producer was accused — first in a civil suit and then in a federal indictment in the Central District Court of California — of siphoning funds from one of his own shows for personal use.—
Steve Belanger,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
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Since Amazon first rolled out 30-second spots on Prime Video in January 2024, the streaming platform has slowly begun siphoning ad revenue from the linear TV market.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Brown’s descendants, and their spouses, are responsible for pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the community and spending countless hours serving on local nonprofit boards.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
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The Blackhawks are still spending more time in the defensive zone and less time in the offensive zone compared to other NHL teams.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Two men sat on either side of her, one in a hat with WHO RESCUED WHO stitched across it and the other wearing a pearl-button shirt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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Madden brought an '80s rocker vibe to show, wearing a skull on his belt and a bandana on his head.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Draining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/draining. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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