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

The spent rocket parts fell into the Atlantic Ocean. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 6 Mar. 2025

The court also ruled that provisions of the 1954 Atomic Energy Act do not support licenses like the one issued to Interim Storage Partners, which allows for the offsite storage of spent fuel. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2025

China successfully launched a classified satellite on Thursday (Jan. 23), but a spent booster from the mission fell shockingly close to a family home. —Andrew Jones, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2025

If successful, this process could deal with the americium that is the most dangerous and long-lived component of spent reactor fuel. —IEEE Spectrum, 25 Nov. 2024

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

Rhymes for spent

• bent
• blent
• cent
• ent
• fent
• lent
• meant
• pent
• rent
• rente
• scent
• sent

Kids Definition

spent

adjective

ˈspent 

1

: used up

2

: drained of energy