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
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Recent Examples of drains
Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2026
Make sure to empty any excess water that drains into the saucer to keep the roots from getting soggy.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Gibson ultimately opted for a suprapubic catheter, which goes through the stomach and drains urine into an external bag.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Saying yes to work that fills time but drains energy is a financial choice, whether it's labeled that way or not.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The batteries therefore can’t release as much energy, which cuts down their range and sometimes drains them faster.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026
Water slowly and deeply until the water drains from the bottom of the pot.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 16 Jan. 2026
As warm air sweeps over the region, cold air already permeating the area drains into the valleys.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
Cold weather drains batteries quickly.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 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
Use a good quality potting mix that drains well in the container.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2026
Make sure to empty any excess water that drains into the saucer to keep the roots from getting soggy.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Gibson ultimately opted for a suprapubic catheter, which goes through the stomach and drains urine into an external bag.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Saying yes to work that fills time but drains energy is a financial choice, whether it's labeled that way or not.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The batteries therefore can’t release as much energy, which cuts down their range and sometimes drains them faster.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026
Water slowly and deeply until the water drains from the bottom of the pot.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 16 Jan. 2026
As warm air sweeps over the region, cold air already permeating the area drains into the valleys.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
Cold weather drains batteries quickly.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 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
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Elle Fanning arrived at the Apple TV Press Day at Barker Hangar in Los Angeles on Tuesday, wearing an all-white Vivienne Westwood ensemble and pairing it with a pair of Christian Louboutin pink Miss Z pumps with a lustrous mirror finish.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
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Pair your pick with easygoing trousers and pumps to dress it up, or go with track pants and slim sneakers for a more casual look.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Gauff’s movement often exhausts her opponents.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These pants offer a flattering fit for anyone who wears them, thanks to their high waist and streamlined hips that softly contour to the body.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
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Williams then instinctively delivered the prototypical football celebration – a headbutt – but completely forgot that his head coach no longer wears a helmet.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Every weekday before dawn, Deltona empties itself onto I-4.—
Christopher Bellingham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The bustling evening market, where locals gather for tacos, now empties out early.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The third might buy time but at the cost of leaving the market undersupplied with term credit, and with the fundamental fiscal problem still worsening as deficits compound and debt service consumes an ever-larger share of federal outlays.—
Daniel J. Arbess,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
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For starters, figure skating no longer consumes her life, freeing Liu to enjoy the stage more than ever.—
Elliott Almond,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Early-morning strike kills 11, including two children Israeli troops fired on a building in the Tuffah neighborhood in northern Gaza, killing at least 11 people, most from the same family, said Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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Small plane crash in Colombia kills 15 BOGOTA, Colombia -- A small plane crashed Wednesday in a rural area of Norte de Santander province in northeast Colombia, killing all 15 people on board including a member of congress, authorities said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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With snow melting and refreezing, ice dams are forming on the edge of roofs and on top of gutters causing damage across the state.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
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Ratia recommends adding more insulation to your attic, increasing attic ventilation, and installing heat ropes in your gutters.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Constantly landing on jokes — like in its portrayal of Lockjaw and his efforts to become a member of the Christmas Adventurers Club, a powerful white-supremacists faction — siphons a sense of urgency from the film’s sketches of American unrest and white male violence.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
24 Nov. 2025
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The filing comes days after Spotify was accused in another class action lawsuit of permitting massive amounts of streaming fraud on its platform, which siphons royalties from artists whose numbers aren’t artificially inflated.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drains. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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