exhaustion

American  

[ig-zaws-chuhn] / ɪgˈzɔs tʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of exhausting.

2. the state of being exhausted.

3. extreme weakness or fatigue.

   Synonyms:

   lassitude, weariness

4. the total consumption of something.

   the exhaustion of your vacation benefits for the year.

---

exhaustion British  

/ ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən /

noun

1. extreme tiredness; fatigue

2. the condition of being used up; consumption

   exhaustion of the earth's resources

3. the act of exhausting or the state of being exhausted

---

Other Word Forms

• preexhaustion noun

Etymology

Origin of exhaustion

First recorded in 1640–50, exhaustion is from the New Latin word exhaustiōn- (stem of exhaustiō ). See exhaust, -ion

Explanation

Exhaustion is a state of being incredibly tired. Running a marathon on a hot day often results in exhaustion. Your exhaustion might be due to physical fatigue, after shoveling snow for hours or chasing after your runaway dog, or mental tiredness. A terrible argument with your best friend can lead to exhaustion, for example. Another kind of exhaustion is caused by illness or general weakness. Exhaustion comes from the verb exhaust, "a drawing off," specifically of strength. from the Latin exhaurire, "draw off" or "take away."

Example Sentences

As always, the final scene cuts to the bone, with Ms. Metcalf’s Linda presiding with emotional exhaustion over Willy’s grave.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Lynsey described Thea as "cheeky" and "joyful" but said the family live in a fragile state of exhaustion due to the high level of care.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

What looks like resilience is often the final stage of exhaustion, until participation fades and the weight of distribution pulls the market lower.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

A spokesperson for the rap star, 31, confirmed to The Times on Wednesday that the artist’s doctors “ultimately identified extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels as the cause of her symptoms.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

“Edda,” I introduced myself, wondering somehow if this was all really happening, or whether exhaustion from my travels was causing an elaborate hallucination.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse