1
as in stressful
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in exhaustive
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in tiring
to use up all the physical energy of
the long day at the county fair had exhausted everyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in draining
to make complete use of
we had been at the theme park barely for two hours, and we were on the verge of exhausting our spending money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exhausting
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
My bags are stable, my hands are free, and long walks through massive terminals are far less exhausting.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Switching things up and trying his hand at production, though, has helped Jake escape that exhausting cycle, if only for a little while.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2026
And living without a bladder is really exhausting, because your kidneys are working overtime.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The few who did manage to pass through from Egypt described an arduous and exhausting journey.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Once a scam crosses into real estate and civil law, families are often left to navigate an expensive and exhausting legal system on their own.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
The effect is exhausting and unsettling.
—Will Fenstermaker, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Improving how well this arm works could make everyday tasks faster, easier and less exhausting, even years after a stroke.
—Candice Maenza, The Conversation, 2 Feb. 2026
Nishant Pant, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
Still, investors in tech giants are growing nervous because these firms are essentially exhausting their available capital to fund the infrastructure buildout, according to Luria.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
But some districts are hitting their ninth snow day of the year, exhausting the stockpile.
—Brooke Muckerman, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 4 Feb. 2026
Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation, recommends exhausting every available option for health coverage before going uninsured.
—Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026
Gentry had both of those things, but he is headed to the NFL after exhausting his eligibility.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 22 Jan. 2026
Pettitte only has two more years on the ballot before exhausting the 10-year limit.
—CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
The incident report previously said that Rivera drowned after exhausting herself getting Josey back on the boat.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Jovanny Hernandez followed stories of immigration throughout the year, including Judge Hannah Dugan’s obstruction charges and Yessenia Ruano’s decision to return to El Salvador after exhausting options in Milwaukee.
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Being a Democrat can be exhausting sometimes.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
My bags are stable, my hands are free, and long walks through massive terminals are far less exhausting.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Switching things up and trying his hand at production, though, has helped Jake escape that exhausting cycle, if only for a little while.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2026
And living without a bladder is really exhausting, because your kidneys are working overtime.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The few who did manage to pass through from Egypt described an arduous and exhausting journey.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Once a scam crosses into real estate and civil law, families are often left to navigate an expensive and exhausting legal system on their own.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
The effect is exhausting and unsettling.
—Will Fenstermaker, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Improving how well this arm works could make everyday tasks faster, easier and less exhausting, even years after a stroke.
—Candice Maenza, The Conversation, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
The selling pressure appears to be exhausting itself, setting the stage for a classic snap-back rally.
—Nishant Pant, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
Still, investors in tech giants are growing nervous because these firms are essentially exhausting their available capital to fund the infrastructure buildout, according to Luria.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
But some districts are hitting their ninth snow day of the year, exhausting the stockpile.
—Brooke Muckerman, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 4 Feb. 2026
Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation, recommends exhausting every available option for health coverage before going uninsured.
—Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026
Gentry had both of those things, but he is headed to the NFL after exhausting his eligibility.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 22 Jan. 2026
Pettitte only has two more years on the ballot before exhausting the 10-year limit.
—CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
The incident report previously said that Rivera drowned after exhausting herself getting Josey back on the boat.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Jovanny Hernandez followed stories of immigration throughout the year, including Judge Hannah Dugan’s obstruction charges and Yessenia Ruano’s decision to return to El Salvador after exhausting options in Milwaukee.
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhausting
Adjective
-
Few wardrobe moments are more stressful than staining your beloved cashmere sweater.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Back-to-back wins for her birth country of Canada in the two-woman event in 2010 and 2014, plus another gold, after a contentious, stressful battle to switch national allegiances, for the United States, in the inaugural driver-only monobob event in Beijing.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As an exhaustive New York Times Magazine investigation recently explained, Epstein built his fortune mainly by insinuating himself as a wealth manager for a few superrich old men and drawing hefty fees.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Moreover, First American Home Warranty has a user-friendly website, an exhaustive resource library, and an FAQ page that answers many homeowner questions.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This helps each step feel lighter and easier, diminishing fatigue and letting the wearer venture out farther without tiring.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Dec. 2025
-
This constant barrage overshadows the self-care experience, hijacking my focus and frankly, tiring me out.—
Caelan McMichael,
Allure,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To prevent this from happening again, repot the peace lily in fresh soil that is well-draining.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Wembanyama made a 3-pointer, but Raptors star Barnes ended it by draining his only shot of the game.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The voracious reader said that the best books, those that brought him happiness, were not the ones that ease our way in this strange and difficult world.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Local farmers work long hours, often under difficult conditions, to ensure our food supply remains steady.—
Joe Dymek,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That, without a doubt, has been the ideology followed by both state and federal historical agencies over time; history has become increasingly inclusive and in that way, increasingly honest.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Sensory-inclusive performances help make that possible.—
Alyssa Ramos,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Take Keke Palmer in a butter yellow and cream vintage Dior bustier dress with a scarf-tie waist, or Kate Hudson, who combined all the mid-10s and boho trends by wearing a leathery peplum and balloon pants by Chloé.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The post comes days after Meghan made a surprise solo appearance at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala in Los Angeles, wearing a dusty rose Harbison Studio gown with black piping and a dramatic black cape.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Fiber intake, in particular, showed a strong association with longevity, while consuming lots of sugary beverages was linked to higher all-cause mortality.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
-
What’s more, in athletes, typical signs of an eating disorder, such as training for long hours without appropriate breaks for meals or obsessing about only consuming certain healthy foods, can be overlooked due to the normalization of these behaviors in high-level sports.—
Emily Hemendinger,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exhausting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhausting. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
