max out
Britishverb
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Exhaust one's options, capacity, or the like by producing or performing to the maximum, as in The weight lifter maxed out at 180 kilograms . [ Slang ; late 1900s]
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Reach a point at which no more growth, improvement, or benefit is possible, as in The salary for this job maxes out at $90,000 . [ Slang ; late 1900s]
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Relax, take things easy, as in Let's go to the beach and max out . [ Slang ; late 1900s]
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.
"Then all allies, including the US, will max out what they can do to make sure we can fight the war," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
That’s not easy, since capybaras max out around 155 pounds; sometimes he anesthetizes them for the trip back to the river.
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
Fans who won a time slot in this drop but didn’t reach the ticket maximum will be automatically entered into subsequent ticket lotteries until they max out their ticket allotment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
I haven’t saved much for retirement over the past few years, so I immediately maxed out my IRA contribution for 2025 and plan to max out my IRA contribution for 2026 as well.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 16, 2026
While the 64-year-old believes Loudoun County will max out its land available for data centers in the coming years, he isn’t getting out of the game.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026
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.
