consumption

American  

[kuhn-suhmp-shuhn] / kənˈsʌmp ʃən /

noun

consumptions plural

1. the act of consuming, as by use, decay, or destruction.

   Synonyms:

   utilization, exploitation, depletion

2. the amount consumed.

   the high consumption of gasoline.

3. Economics. the using up of goods and services having an exchangeable value.

4. Pathology.

   1. Older Use. tuberculosis of the lungs.

   2. progressive wasting of the body.

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consumption British  

/ kənˈsʌmpʃən /

noun

1. the act of consuming or the state of being consumed, esp by eating, burning, etc

2. economics expenditure on goods and services for final personal use

3. the quantity consumed

4. pathol a condition characterized by a wasting away of the tissues of the body, esp as seen in tuberculosis of the lungs

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonconsumption
  noun
• overconsumption
  noun
• preconsumption
  noun
• self-consumption
  noun
• underconsumption
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• consumptions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of consumption

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English consumpcyon, from Middle French, from Latin consūmptiōn-, stem of consūmptiō “employment, use, waste,” from consūmpt(us) “used up” (past participle of consūmere “to use up, waste”; see consume) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Consumption means using, buying or eating something. If we don't reduce our energy consumption, we will run out of fuel. Conspicuous consumption is buying something to show off. Consumption is related to the verb consume, which means to eat, use, or buy. You will often read about consumption in terms of rate––how fast we are using up a particular resource. If you consume ten cookies in an hour, your rate of consumption is ten cookies an hour. Sustainable? Let's hope not.

Example Sentences

Its 10 turbines cover the annual consumption of about 125,000 people -- the size of a small city, according to the Czech investors who helped fund it.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

The Vulcan system is calibrated using official traffic records and energy consumption data, providing an independent benchmark for measuring vehicle emissions.

From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026

Nomura sees a shift in Indonesia’s consumption habits from boiled water to packaged water among demographics that seek standardized hygiene and relatively affordable pricing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

Stock prices have rallied, of course, but house prices are stagnant, “suggesting the wealth effect is boosting growth in consumption by only a little over one percentage point, no more than usual,” Tombs added.

From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026

You’d wonder what the English are thinking about when they take a man that has the consumption and give him a job making sandwiches.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Related Words

• drinking
• expenditure
• utilization