exhausting 1 of 2

Definition of exhaustingnext
1
2

exhausting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of exhaust

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
Adjective
Equally efficient, less exhausting. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2026 Big in-game comebacks are exhilarating – and exhausting. Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026 Whether that feels exciting or exhausting depends entirely on perspective. Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 2 Jan. 2026 This is our photographic ode to a year that was often difficult and exhausting — and continually defined by human resilience. Dai Sugano, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025 These false dichotomies are exhausting. Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025 The internal pressure to optimize free time and always multitask is ultimately exhausting, not enlightening. Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025 Choose two or three attractions that match your guests’ interests rather than planning an exhausting tour of everything Charlotte has to offer. Bill Bootz, Charlotte Observer, 30 Dec. 2025 The night had been terrifying, exhausting, and emotional. Joe Berman, Outside, 26 Dec. 2025
Verb
Gentry had both of those things, but he is headed to the NFL after exhausting his eligibility. Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 22 Jan. 2026 Productivity improvements—many already visible—are sufficient to support that level of prosperity without exhausting the planet. Chris Bradley, Fortune, 21 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 Nancy went out to work in the fields and took a job in a school cafeteria, exhausting herself to hold on to the children. Alex Abramovich, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025 For many workers, 2025 was a year defined by strict RTO mandates, massive layoffs, and exhausting job hunts. Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025 This is the last time Neptune will be retrograde in Pisces in your lifetime, completing 14 years of learning that optimization without intuition is just exhausting perfectionism. Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 7 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhausting
Adjective
  • From a portable power bank to keep your phone charged to noise-canceling headphones that will drown out stressful sounds, these travel accessories will help nervous fliers and frequent travelers alike have easier journeys.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Documentation helps mitigate the stress that could otherwise be highly stressful.
    Ethan M. Stone, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Following an exhaustive search for a suitable streaming technology specialist with which to partner, the company finally settled on Silent Angel.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
  • The ‘shoppable’ element here is exhaustive.
    Stephanie Gavan, Vogue, 9 Jan. 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
  • Clay-heavy soils under many Michigan roads, especially around Metro Detroit, trap moisture rather than draining it.
    Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Public schools in Florida are funded on a per-student basis, and schools that operate at about half capacity or less typically do not generate enough money to be self-supporting, instead draining the district’s budget.
    Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Business leaders, of course, have their own interests and shareholders to serve, but Democrats can still protect the public interest while giving CEOs a seat at the table to reach pragmatic answers to difficult questions like these.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Activist groups say hundreds of people have been killed, though the true toll remains difficult to verify due to the internet blackout and tight state controls on information.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • That night the board heard from 21 speakers in support of offering the class, many of them students advocating for a more diverse and inclusive curriculum for their peers.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
  • For many years now, the heteronormative and gendered approach to fashion has been changing, with a more inclusive and fluid ideology emerging.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Some people even shared old photos of Indigenous peoples wearing the hoods, noting that the originators of the design kept the fur outward to break cold wind and trap snow.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Chavez posted a photo of Gregory Bovino walking down 33rd Street and Portland Avenue, flanked by three agents wearing masks.
    WCCO Staff, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The carnivore diet is a meal plan that includes consuming only animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs, Fox News Digital has previously reported.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
  • Video is also slower and more time consuming.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exhausting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhausting. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on exhausting

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!