spent

adjective

ˈspent 

1

a

: used up : consumed

b

: exhausted of active or required components or qualities often for a particular purpose

spent nuclear fuel

2

: drained of energy or effectiveness : exhausted

3

: exhausted of spawn or sperm

spent fishes

Synonyms

• all in
• aweary [archaic]
• beat
• beaten
• bleary
• burned-out
• burnt-out
• bushed
• dead
• done
• drained
• exhausted
• fatigued
• jaded
• knackered [British]
• limp
• logy
• loggy
• played out
• pooped [slang]
• prostrate
• tapped out
• tired
• tuckered (out)
• washed-out
• wearied
• weary
• wiped out
• worn
• worn-out

Examples of spent in a Sentence

he plopped down in his chair, completely spent, and then fell asleep

Recent Examples on the Web

Police initially had very little evidence to work with, just a spent bullet shell discovered nearby on the ground. —Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 16 Oct. 2024

After your mums are done blooming, deadhead, or cut off the spent blooms. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2024

Cleanly snip off the spent bloom and stem below the foliage level. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2024

For those reasons, Christian conservatism, although hardly a spent force, will likely wane as a political movement, as the religious politics of the United States seem to have reached another inflection point. —James Morone, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2015

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from past participle of spenden to spend

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing spent

• a spent force
• well spent

Kids Definition

spent

adjective

ˈspent 

1

: used up

2

: drained of energy