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

---

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

Traditional SAW devices typically max out at around 4 gigahertz, making the new system far faster.

From Science Daily • Jan. 17, 2026

Your Social Security benefits max out at age 70.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 9, 2026

Avid readers, they "max out" their borrowing, taking 20 books each under their individual library cards, the most they are allowed.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

Then “you can stick it into your algorithm and max out the score,” one of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

Other moves: Avoid buying a mutual fund about to make a year-end capital-gains distribution, defer a bonus into 2026, and max out on retirement plan contributions.

From Barron's • Dec. 5, 2025