1
as in pumps
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 exhausts
to make complete use of
virtually drained the country's natural resources
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in wears
to use up all the physical energy of
the long hike drained us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of drains
Alissa Greenberg, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Lavender prefers coarse, sandy soil that drains quickly.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
Set a clearer end time today so work supports wellbeing rather than drains it.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Overthinking at work drains emotional energy because your brain never fully relaxes.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The Mighty Mississippi ⛴️ Flowing about 2,350 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf in Louisiana, the Mississippi River borders 10 states and drains an area stretching from western New York to most of Wyoming.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Field observations noted that a manhole at the location was spilling into an area roughly 100 feet by 10 feet, with runoff entering a stream that drains into the tributary.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 27 May 2026
If your dishwasher drains directly outside of the home, consider re-routing it to the sink.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 22 May 2026
If your grocery bill already feels high, laundry detergent is one of those sneaky household costs that quietly drains your budget week after week.
—Ryan Brennan
may 13, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2026
Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 25 Jan. 2026
Below, San Angelo gives us several methods for cleaning bathroom sink drains, her best tips on how to avoid a clogged bathroom sink, and what to avoid when cleaning your bathroom sink drain.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
The sensation, and the tranquility that comes with it, will stay with you long after the water drains away.
—Alissa Greenberg, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Lavender prefers coarse, sandy soil that drains quickly.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
Set a clearer end time today so work supports wellbeing rather than drains it.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Overthinking at work drains emotional energy because your brain never fully relaxes.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The Mighty Mississippi ⛴️ Flowing about 2,350 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf in Louisiana, the Mississippi River borders 10 states and drains an area stretching from western New York to most of Wyoming.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Field observations noted that a manhole at the location was spilling into an area roughly 100 feet by 10 feet, with runoff entering a stream that drains into the tributary.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 27 May 2026
If your dishwasher drains directly outside of the home, consider re-routing it to the sink.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 22 May 2026
If your grocery bill already feels high, laundry detergent is one of those sneaky household costs that quietly drains your budget week after week.
—Ryan Brennan
may 13, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2026
Noun
Descaling and Unclogging Uses Use cleaning vinegar to unclog stubborn drains by adding 1 cup of baking soda to your drain followed by 1 cup of cleaning vinegar, says Dills.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 25 Jan. 2026
Below, San Angelo gives us several methods for cleaning bathroom sink drains, her best tips on how to avoid a clogged bathroom sink, and what to avoid when cleaning your bathroom sink drain.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drains
Verb
-
These outflows are a critical part of how a black hole pumps energy into its host galaxy and regulates its growth, according to Christopher Reynolds, a professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park, who was not involved with the study.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
-
Gas pumps at a BP were torn out of the ground.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Watching this scene, and much of the film, exhausts me.—
Jenny Odell,
Longreads,
2 June 2026
-
If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Farrell, who also narrates in a soft voice, often wears a look of shy incomprehension, as if a beat behind in translating the world around him, a stranger in a strange land.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Non-inverter ACs feature simpler parts that are cheaper and easier to fix, but the stop-start cycle wears the mechanical parts out faster, so these air conditioners are more prone to frequent repairs and tend to have a shorter lifespan.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Empty standing water at least once a week (birdbaths, pet bowls, plant saucers), fix dripping faucets and keep gutters clear.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
-
If a downspout on your gutters is dumping into a low area and leaving a puddle, redirect the spout to a spot where water will run off.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
About 20% of the world's oil flows throw the strait, and Iran's ability to block the flow of tankers has roiled the global economy, sending oil prices soaring.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Simone empties out the frivolities and installs her unique despair.—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
-
Flores checks for spills, then empties the mug back into the pot by hand and does it again — hundreds of times.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
All in all, the researchers estimated their new device consumes at most one-tenth the power of current state-of-the-art electronic neuromorphic hardware.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 June 2026
-
Every inefficient query consumes additional compute resources.—
Chhandomay Mandal,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Originally, Shorty was out in the front yard for the very final moment, and the runaway rollercoaster from the beginning crashes into him and kills him.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2026
-
That extra molecule, according to the Cleveland Clinic, kills bacteria and removes stains.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drains. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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