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drain

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word drain distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of drain are bankrupt, deplete, exhaust, and impoverish. While all these words mean "to deprive of something essential to existence or potency," drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence.

personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit

When might bankrupt be a better fit than drain?

The synonyms bankrupt and drain are sometimes interchangeable, but bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse.

war had bankrupted the nation of resources

When can deplete be used instead of drain?

Although the words deplete and drain have much in common, deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function.

depleting our natural resources

When is exhaust a more appropriate choice than drain?

In some situations, the words exhaust and drain are roughly equivalent. However, exhaust stresses a complete emptying.

her lecture exhausted the subject

When would impoverish be a good substitute for drain?

The words impoverish and drain are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness.

impoverished soil

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 drain
Verb
But top city leaders are pushing back on the idea as a potential drain to Indy's tax base and a detriment to civic accountability. Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 Aug. 2025 The roof drain was rerouted to the main drain in the middle of the school; the main drain is a 12-inch pipe that can hold more water, Elliott said. Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
Most such bogs have been drained for cropland, and several European governments are wondering whether to revive them, Politico reported. Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2025 Green lasers typically consume more power, which means a handheld device can drain its battery much faster if nothing else is optimized. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drain
Verb
  • Travelers can expect to sail past incredible vistas of fjords and towering glaciers, or get their hearts pumping with a requisite polar plunge, diving into the icy waters for the ultimate rush.
    Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • In another shot, Elordi is seen dancing solo while pumping his fists in the air.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • More on that decision and a list of other schools that have decided to spend cash on volleyball here.
    Payton Titus, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Tony didn’t find out about their daughter until after Ziva’s death, then father and daughter spent several years together before Ziva revealed the truth.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Over the past two months, Texans have used green ribbons with bows to commemorate the lives lost in the July 4 Hill Country flooding, which killed more than 100 people, including more than two dozen girls and counselors from Camp Mystic in Hunt.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Jerry Jeudy makes far too much money to wreck possessions with two drops, one that killed a drive and another that resulted in a crushing interception.
    Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Gas flow also affects stellar initial masses In another study, published in July 2025, astrophysicist Ke-Jung Chen led a research group at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics using a detailed computer simulation that modeled how gas in the early universe may have flowed.
    Luke Keller, Space.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • In its early releases, Porsche has not defined the point where the electric motors hand off to the flow of hot exhaust gases, but the results are maximum torque all the way to 6000 rpm.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Shoppers have tapped them to light kitchen pantries, coffee nooks, linen closets, and more, and two-packs of these handy lights are only $10 at Amazon.
    Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2025
  • For example, the marketing team can use AI to quickly tailor messaging based on shifting trends, while sales reps may tap the same tool to generate personalized pitches.
    Rebecca Jones, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Smoke remains visible near Patterson Bluff and Dinkey Creek as fuels continue to consume in the fire perimeter.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Conversely, consuming healthy amounts of iron and vitamin D was associated with hair growth.
    Brian Mastroianni, Health, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Officials said that none of the passengers on the boat were wearing life jackets at the time of the incident, and alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the crash.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Rare was the big public event in which none of the bold names were telling red-carpet interlocutors that were wearing Armani.
    Belinda Luscombe, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Peels can create a huge mess in the drainpipes down the road.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The rattlesnake named Gertrude, or Gertie, took shelter in the opening of a drainpipe earlier this summer and gave birth around late July or early August at the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens, the Detroit Free Press previously reported.
    Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drain. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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