EXHAUSTING Synonyms: 260 Similar and Opposite Words

exhausting 1 of 2

adjective

as in stressful

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

as in exhaustive

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

exhausting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of exhaust

as in tiring

to use up all the physical energy of the long day at the county fair had exhausted everyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in draining

to make complete use of we had been at the theme park barely for two hours, and we were on the verge of exhausting our spending money

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 exhausting

Adjective

That algorithmic loop can be exhausting, and a Forbes Health survey found that 79% of Gen Zers report burnout from apps. — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Not the fire, not the sudden death, not the exhausting fight to get back home. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Melanie Moreno and Sincere Rhea are arguably the most exhausting couple to come out of Love Island USA Season 8. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 1 Sep. 2026 All this drama has become somewhat exhausting in Sacramento, where the Kings have been linked to Kuminga for well over a year. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026 For travel days when the thought of coordinating a top and bottom feels exhausting, a maxi dress does all the work for you. — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026 In a story from KUT, Brigitte Bandit was having an exhausting year. — The Npr Network, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026 In her depiction of the exhausting vigilance this reality required, through a second-person voice cannily implicating her reader, Rankine created a new language to identify a problem as old as the United States. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 The death of Marshall’s dad was an emotionally exhausting arc that also brought out the best in the gang. — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026

Verb

The dispute has become even more complicated because some members of the 2022 class pursued professional opportunities after exhausting their eligibility under the previous system. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Pick up a gentler, over-the-counter retinoid that won’t irritate your more sensitive skin, and will stimulate collagen production without exhausting your cells. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026 The attack Friday night was the deadliest this year in the war and came as Russia steps up the frequency of major attacks on its neighbor in the hopes of exhausting Ukraine’s defenses. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 The everyday cost of war Six months of conflict and severe economic hardship have made daily life exhausting for regular Iranians. — Greg Myre, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026 Here in Iceland, the debate circles around fishing rights and Brussels’ often exhausting regulations. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026 For Cameron, who spent decades exhausting HIV treatment options as his virus developed resistance, among the biggest benefits may be that the two-drug regimen effectively controls his virus while exposing him to fewer medications. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 After exhausting federal aid, grants, and scholarships, private student loans can help cover any remaining funding gaps. — Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Senior technology executive and business coach Leah Farmer points out that burnout isn’t always caused by overwork, and that effort without agency can be exhausting too. — Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhausting

Adjective

Flying is notoriously stressful, even for the most prepared travelers.

— Jason Stauffer,Brett Holzhauer, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
A week after the dust had settled from a tumultuous trade deadline, which Zach Neto said was the most stressful time of the year, John Mozeliak had a meeting with the Angels’ shortstop.

— Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of stressful

Adjective

When litigation continues after exhaustive federal review, the consequences extend beyond a single transaction.

— Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026
Upon downloading the app and creating an account, I was asked to select four starter animals from an exhaustive list.

— Greta Cross, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of exhaustive

Verb

Sadly, the production was a downer, draining Kushner’s masterpiece of color and humor and inserting, in their place, gloomy projections of cityscapes and, unaccountably, David Bowie songs.

— Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
Use a sunny spot, well-draining soil, and regular watering to keep mint thriving.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of draining

Adjective

The losses linked to the demise of these groups are difficult to quantify, but participants and advocates say the impacts will reverberate across federal agencies for years.

— Katia Riddle, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Ground surveys can provide more detailed information at a particular site, but covering an entire subway corridor that way would be difficult.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Off-White’s cachet is indelibly intertwined with Abloh’s legacy, who utilized it as a platform for his inclusive, collective approach to fashion creation — an approach whose ultimate agenda was to further access and inclusion.

— Luke Leitch, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Universal accommodations create an inclusive safety net without singling anyone out.

— Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of inclusive

Verb

Wear it with leggings for a travel outfit that feels a little more elevated than wearing a sweatsuit.

— Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
Shoes left at the door, donning slippers to be worn except on tatami mats, wearing yukatas to the onsen and to dinner that night.

— Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of wearing

Verb

Studies have proven that regularly consuming whole grains has a positive effect on health, reducing certain markers that indicate chronic inflammation.

— Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2026
The cooking process greatly reduces that risk, as does storing the cooked garlic and oil at a temperature below 38° and consuming them within 2 weeks.

— Jeremy Fox, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of consuming

Browse Nearby Words

exhausted

exhausting

exhaustion

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Style

“Exhausting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhausting. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of exhausting

adjective

verb

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