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max out

British  

verb

  1. informal to reach or cause to reach the full extent or allowance

    the goal was to max out the customer's credit card

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

max out Idioms  
  1. 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]

  2. 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]

  3. 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.

At Straight Wharf, the two-course pre-fixe menu is $90, but sit at the bar, and the seafood entrees max out at $40.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026

"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

Over the past six months, Silicon Valley companies have been urging their employees to max out their AI use .

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 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

I make good money, max out every year and want that tax deduction as I near retirement.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

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