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
Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 May 2026
Bargain-bin potting mix often drains poorly or contains few nutrients to begin with.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
On the other end, the cheapest bagged potting mix often drains too quickly or contains almost no nutrients to feed new roots.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Make sure the soil drains well to prevent soggy roots, and avoid heavy clay soil that stays wet.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
Conversely, water infiltrates sandy loam soil relatively quickly but also drains out fairly quickly.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
Build a life that supports you instead of drains you.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
This idea of reasonableness is easily caricatured as moral timidity or a bloodless neutrality that drains politics of passion.
—Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
That’s why a fine textured soil, like clay, drains more poorly than does a coarse, sandy soil.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Apr. 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
For phones, there's not much that drains their battery as fast as playing demanding games, and PC games designed for dedicated desktop and laptop hardware are certainly demanding.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 May 2026
Bargain-bin potting mix often drains poorly or contains few nutrients to begin with.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
On the other end, the cheapest bagged potting mix often drains too quickly or contains almost no nutrients to feed new roots.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Make sure the soil drains well to prevent soggy roots, and avoid heavy clay soil that stays wet.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
Conversely, water infiltrates sandy loam soil relatively quickly but also drains out fairly quickly.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
Build a life that supports you instead of drains you.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
This idea of reasonableness is easily caricatured as moral timidity or a bloodless neutrality that drains politics of passion.
—Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
That’s why a fine textured soil, like clay, drains more poorly than does a coarse, sandy soil.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Apr. 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
-
Hypermart pumps, and off-brand gas stations, offered the same gasoline at far cheaper prices, as much as 80 cents in recent weeks, according to the agency.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
-
Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff pumps his fist after the Sabres' 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of their first-round series at TD Garden in Boston on Friday.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Apr. 2026
-
As the oil blockade quickly exhausts Cuba’s supply of fuel, triggering a series of lengthy, island-wide blackouts, many here are exhausted and are becoming increasingly vocal about their desire for fundamental changes in Cuba.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When inside, Hattuta said everyone wears masks and keeps a safe distance from each other.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The plethora of works are markedly vibrant and fresh, from the Hamlet in Brooklyn who wears a beanie to the one who enjoys Bollywood-style dances in London.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 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
-
Best of all, its RockDock Plus empties the dustbin for me for up to seven weeks.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
8 May 2026
-
Other than that, though, the place empties out midday while most everyone is within Yosemite.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Equally troubling, this annual cycle consumes so much time and energy that there is almost none left to actually think about how the money is spent.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
The global economy consumes about 100 million barrels of oil every day.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead of accepting a deal to leave New York for good, Fisk embarks on a murder spree and kills anyone protesting his power.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
There's a gut-punching element of tragedy, too, as Loki kills his real father, Laufey (Colm Feore), then appears to plummet to his own death in the final act.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
On the day of the installation, a professional will clean, realign and reseal your existing gutters.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
-
The road has no curbs, gutters or sidewalks.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drains. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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