1
as in pumps
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
we drained the water from the tank before cleaning it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of drains
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
Bring it all to life this month by saying yes only to the people, opportunities, and experiences that excite you, and no to anyone or anything that drains your bright light.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Make sure plants are sited in soil that drains well.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
The water drains from the field and into the pit.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025
The game also has a new-to-the-series sanity meter, which drains when Hinako uses focus attacks that slow down combat to give Hinako an edge.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
They filter lymph fluid, which drains from tissues, trapping and destroying germs, cancer cells, and other harmful material.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
Comparison drains clarity—your power lies in authenticity, not algorithms.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The eclipse highlights who truly supports your vision and who drains it.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
Noun
Sulfur tends to form long chains during charging and discharging, which blocks the flow of ions and quickly drains the battery’s power.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
Bring it all to life this month by saying yes only to the people, opportunities, and experiences that excite you, and no to anyone or anything that drains your bright light.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Make sure plants are sited in soil that drains well.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
The water drains from the field and into the pit.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025
The game also has a new-to-the-series sanity meter, which drains when Hinako uses focus attacks that slow down combat to give Hinako an edge.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
They filter lymph fluid, which drains from tissues, trapping and destroying germs, cancer cells, and other harmful material.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
Comparison drains clarity—your power lies in authenticity, not algorithms.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The eclipse highlights who truly supports your vision and who drains it.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drains
Verb
-
Humanity pumps 40 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere each year.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Miley Cyrus pulled ivory Paris Texas pumps for a Schiaparelli gown at Tribeca.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Given how many comebacks the Pacers had in the playoffs, there is some evidence that all that pressure (plus a relentless offensive pace) exhausts teams over 48 minutes.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The whole ordeal exhausts the mother turtle.—
Taylor Hagood,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Still heartbroken years after the split, Richard wears his anger and pain on his sleeve, but his only goal in life is to keep his daughter safe.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Her design uses the Union Jack for the lining that Yasmin Le Bon wears in the campaign with a Breton T-shirt, white trousers and riding boots.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The researchers also modeled gastroparesis, a condition where the stomach empties more slowly, often due to diabetes or viral infections.—
Alyssa Hui-Anderson,
Verywell Health,
8 Sep. 2025
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Each bottling of Gorovka, cut to 55% ABV, only partially empties the puncheon after which the barrel is topped up with fresh spirit.—
Don Tse,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The film’s queerness extends beyond Palmer’s portrayal of out lesbian Emerald Haywood; in addition to being a commentary on the way the entertainment industry consumes us, Nope is also about otherness.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
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Online resale also generates emissions from shipping and packaging, and running massive e-commerce platforms consumes energy, all factors that need to be considered, said Alana James, a fashion professor at Northumbria University.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As plastic waste clogs rivers, kills marine life and threatens human health, many leaders of countries, communities and forward-looking companies are working on ways to stem the tide of plastic pollution.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement In the quest to lure out Iblis, Khalid kills Ka-young’s grandmother, who dies protecting Min-ji.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Mosquitoes need water to breed, so limit standing water around your home by cleaning gutters and downspouts, removing leaves from low-lying areas and draining dishes under flower pots after rainstorms.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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Zone 1 — which extends 30 feet from a building — requires property owners to do things such as clear dead plants, grass as well as leaves and pine needles from yards, roofs and gutters; trim overhanging branches; and keep a 10-foot gap between trees.—
Hannah Ruhoff,
Sacbee.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Her Smell director (and, relevantly, former Kim’s Video clerk) fully taps into his dark side for this sadistic little number about a community terrorized by a child-abducting serial killer.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
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And yet, Doja continuously taps the well while adapting it to her own aesthetic, moving fluidly between sweet harmonies and nimble raps in classic Doja form.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drains. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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