USING UP Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

using up

verb

present participle of use up

as in spending

to make complete use of we used up the last of the flour when we made the waffles

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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 using up If moisture is needed to get things moving in the machine, add the kee lo by the 1 tablespoon, using up to ¼ cup total for a single batch. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 The result is fabulously decadent and the perfect recipe for using up oodles and oodles of summer squash. — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026 Emily Weinstein, a researcher at the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard, says some students are using up to seven different apps to manage everything from grades to sports team schedules. — Charlotte Hu, Time, 22 July 2026 The company claims its models can match or outperform frontier labs using up to 100 times fewer tokens, which are the currency for running AI queries. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 23 June 2026 This single observation suggests that, during strong wind conditions, each rotor would contribute about 1 MW of propulsion, even when using up its own 20 kW of spinning power. — Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026 Roskopf, however, countered that data centers don’t provide significant jobs, but only provide an additional tax base while using up resources. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026 Breakfast Burritos The most flexible breakfast on this list and one of the best for using up what is already in the fridge. — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026 Data centers have faced increasing criticism for using up water and power, adding to the already-existing strain on those resources. — Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 5 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for using up

Verb

Willy Kurniawan | Reuters Indonesia may have trouble meeting its economic-growth goals for the coming year, after spending 2026 on the defensive amid questions about fiscal outlays and the prospects of a downgrade from MSCI.

— Celestine Iyer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
For now, the Coalition for Prediction Markets is spending a fraction of Kalshi’s direct lobbying expenses.

— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of spending

Verb

To be sure, there’s still a supply deficit, forcing consuming countries to keep tapping their reserves, which are reaching critically low levels.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
The United States is leading this surge, consuming almost 40% of the global total and accounting for nearly half of the worldwide increase last year.

— Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of consuming

Verb

Window closing to find survivors These are the kinds of scenes playing out across La Guaira state, with people milling around in the streets after being left homeless, uncertain of what to do next.

— Fernando Narro Roman, NPR, 28 June 2026
These same dynamics are now playing out in litigation over social media and youth mental health.

— Alex Smolak, STAT, 27 June 2026

Definition of playing out

Verb

Clear communication keeps collaboration useful without draining the spark.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026
On longer tracks with more straights, such as Spa in Belgium or Silverstone in the United Kingdom, the experience behind the wheel has been more galling for drivers thanks to the batteries draining faster and being charged less.

— Luke Smith, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of draining

Verb

Senior technology executive and business coach Leah Farmer points out that burnout isn’t always caused by overwork, and that effort without agency can be exhausting too.

— Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
After exhausting all options, including selling their car and moving in with a relative, Esma makes the painful decision to wed Zara for the dowry.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of exhausting

Verb

On the other side of the equation, the United States has released 400 million barrels of emergency oil, vastly drawing down its stockpiles in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
In addition to ramping up its production since leaving OPEC+, Kpler senior oil analyst Johannes Raubal said the UAE has also been drawing down crude inventories, further enhancing export volumes.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 7 July 2026

Definition of drawing down

Verb

Researchers have developed a new vision algorithm that lets humanoid robots perceive depth more like humans, using two forward-facing eyes.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Earlier this month, The Financial Times appended a note to a guest column after readers questioned whether it was written using AI.

— Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of using

Verb

China, too, has relied heavily on its own massive oil stockpiles, while simultaneously drastically reducing its crude imports.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
That’s the international initiative aimed at reducing the number of severe injury and fatal crashes to zero.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of reducing

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using

using up

usual

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“Using up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/using%20up. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of using up

verb

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