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.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia and Oxford BioDynamics have identified a possible biological connection that could help explain why profound exhaustion appears across conditions as different as long Covid and PTSD.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
"I want what has happened to me to serve so that it does not happen to other people," she said from hospital, where she has been treated for exhaustion since her eviction.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
One was being treated for heat exhaustion and the other for a minor burn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
All of the sailors who spoke with the Journal agreed the toughest part was not knowing when the deployment would end, as the days ran together and exhaustion worsened.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
She works herself to exhaustion, caring for wounded soldiers and looking after other refugees.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
