spent

American  

[spent] / spɛnt /

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of spend.

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adjective

1. tired; worn-out; exhausted.

   Synonyms:

   fatigued, weary

2. used up; consumed.

spent British  

/ spɛnt /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of spend

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adjective

1. used up or exhausted; consumed

2. (of a fish) exhausted by spawning

Other Word Forms

• well-spent
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spent

First recorded in 1425–75, for the adjective

Explanation

If you're spent, you are completely worn out or exhausted. Almost everyone feels completely spent after climbing a mountain or running a marathon. When you're spent, you've used up your reserves of energy, and when a physical item is spent, it's outlived its usefulness. Spent fuel, for example, has been burned and can no longer power a machine, and a rocket might power a space shuttle until it's spent and falls away. The adjective spent comes from the verb spend, "to pay out," which has the Latin root expendere, "to pay down."

Example Sentences

In fact, that’s more views than any MrBeast video racked up last year, including the YouTube star’s most popular stunt: “I Spent 100 Hours Inside the Pyramids!”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with author Alison Bechdel about her new book, Spent.

From Slate • Jun. 26, 2025

The consumer critique of "Spent" is one that punches primarily sideways, highlighting how readily Alison betrays her own high ethical and political standards and how reflexively she uses an intellectual gloss to rationalize the betrayals.

From Salon • Jun. 23, 2025

Spent more money than I’d ever planned on spending in my life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2025

Spent all day in the fields, just like most of the folks in our town.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

Related Words

• dead
• finished
• lost
• used
• wasted