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.
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
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.