exhaustion
Americannoun
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the act or process of exhausting.
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the state of being exhausted.
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extreme weakness or fatigue.
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the total consumption of something.
the exhaustion of your vacation benefits for the year.
noun
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extreme tiredness; fatigue
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the condition of being used up; consumption
exhaustion of the earth's resources
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the act of exhausting or the state of being exhausted
Other Word Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing exhaustion
A Single Shard
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Adrift
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
None of the Roseburia species increased how long the mice could run before reaching exhaustion.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
Many news agencies have reported the hideous condition of the Lincoln—the exhaustion of its crews, the depletion of basic supplies, the breakdown of everyday equipment—as a result of its overextension within firing range of Iran.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
The conditions have reportedly included poor sanitation, infrequent ports-of-call, broken plumbing, exhaustion and shortages of fresh food.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
From one end of their 800-mile-long, crocodile-shaped Caribbean island to the other, Cubans are suffering through hot, sleepless nights and trudging through exhaustion and hunger by day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
She wanted to read until she fell asleep from exhaustion.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
