DRAINING Synonyms: 233 Similar and Opposite Words

draining 1 of 2

adjective

as in exhausting

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draining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of drain

as in pumping

to remove (liquid) gradually or completely we drained the water from the tank before cleaning it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in consuming

to make complete use of virtually drained the country's natural resources

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as in killing

to use up all the physical energy of the long hike drained us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of draining

Adjective

This is a good time to organize the list, clarify expectations, or make a routine feel less draining. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026 Speaking of the part of van life spent behind the wheel, Volkswagen has slightly reworked the Grand California's driver-assistance suite to make driving a little less draining. — New Atlas, 10 July 2026 Others are voluntarily asking to see more patients because the most draining and time-consuming parts of their job are now handled by AI. — Fj Campbell, Fortune, 20 May 2026 Already carrying wider spans of control and shrinking development support, a manager operating against an outdated role definition is doing something more draining than managing a heavy workload. — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026 Asch recommends finding a driver-friendly activity to make time on the road feel less draining, such as listening to an audiobook or podcast. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 Long periods of socializing, like a weeklong conference, can feel far more draining than shorter events. — Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025 By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025

Verb

Eating triggers saliva production, but a stone can keep the saliva from draining, causing the gland to swell. — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 On the ground floor, outside the main building, a humanoid was flat on its back after draining its battery during a demo. — New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026 Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer previously said investigating video gambling terminal thefts was draining village resources. — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Under President Joe Biden, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Tel*Link to pay $3 million for illegally freezing and draining funds from incarcerated people’s accounts. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026 Yet for the actors, musicians, and athletes stepping into a recording booth, the process of making an audio memoir can be draining. — Brian Raftery, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026 If your devices are due for an upgrade, Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026 is the perfect time to level up your tech game without draining your wallet. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Most critically, the stifling political atmosphere Xi has created is draining Beijing’s ability to respond to emerging problems as earlier generations once did. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026 Kubiak must learn that the Chiefs, leading the AFC West now, are an account-draining team. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for draining

Adjective

Comparison shopping more exhaustively can be just that, exhausting.

— Lindsay Owens, as told to Nina Zipkin, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Galvaran Knee Brace $28 at Amazon Travel can be physically exhausting on the body.

— Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of exhausting

Verb

The authors of this latest paper sought to capture the venom-pumping kinematics of honey bee stingers in order to identify the underlying biomechanics.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund was still pumping cash — more than $5 billion and counting — into the LIV Golf League.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of pumping

Verb

Divsteps therefore requires a record of its branching decisions, potentially consuming enormous numbers of additional qubits.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
His release conditions prohibit him from possessing or using firearms, contacting Goldfein or consuming alcohol.

— Raul Trey Lopez, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of consuming

Verb

Authorities are investigating what led a 16-year-old shooter to force entry into his former elementary school in Bend, Oregon, and fire into a special needs classroom on Thursday, killing three children and a young teacher.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Over the next seven years, Saudi Arabia carried out waves of airstrikes against the Houthis, often killing civilians.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of killing

Adjective

Most other feeders can send dozens, if not hundreds, of clips to your phone each day, which can be more fatiguing than relaxing to go through.

— Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026
But the most mentally fatiguing aspect, the work found, was having to constantly supervise the AI tools, with some employees overseeing multiple AI agents performing different tasks at the same time.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026

Definition of fatiguing

Verb

After arriving at the hospital and spending nearly an hour with hospital staff filling out paperwork, I was handed another form accepting financial responsibility.

— Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Teams are tight-knit, spending practically every moment together from Spring Training through October in what can be described as a 162-game marathon.

— Don Riddell, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of spending

Verb

Jackson had not been reported missing The man had been wearing a button-down short-sleeve shirt, light blue jeans, a silver wristwatch and blue-and-white tennis shoes.

— CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Temperatures are not conducive to actors wearing wool coats and scarves, and the snow on the ground is going to be added in post.

— Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026