1
as in to pump
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
we drained the water from the tank before cleaning it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to spend
to make complete use of
virtually drained the country's natural resources
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to kill
to use up all the physical energy of
the long hike drained us
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1
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
as the city lost population, its political influence drained away
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drain
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Ld, Health, 21 Jan. 2025
Cornell said the next step is to drain the New Glenn rocket of its fuel.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2025
Cover the drain to keep the solution working in the drain.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for drain 
Verb
Canned beans may be high in sodium, so many healthcare providers recommend draining and rinsing them to remove excess sodium.
—Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Ld, Health, 21 Jan. 2025
Cornell said the next step is to drain the New Glenn rocket of its fuel.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
Unpleasant odors often come from the drain and can be removed with baking soda.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2025
Cover the drain to keep the solution working in the drain.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for drain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drain
Noun
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This option returns the pond to its full former glory including sluice gate repair, dredging the full pond area and recreational enhancements to include 5.7 acres of open water and two fishing platforms.—
Erik S. Hanley,
Journal Sentinel,
9 Dec. 2024
-
In 2014, Kyrgyz and Tajik conscripts exchanged fire over a strategic sluice in Ak-Sai.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Aug. 2016
Noun
-
Groups that want to reduce immigration have also argued that restricting the flow of immigrants would put upward pressure on wages, benefiting American workers who might then take caregiving jobs.—
Emily Alpert Reyes,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
-
Urinary incontinence: Untreated bladder cancer can lead to an inability to control the flow of urine.—
Steffini Stalos,
Health,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Sometimes the offenses have been minor, such as when József Szájer, a far-right Hungarian M.E.P., was caught shimmying down a drainpipe in a vain attempt to distance himself from a 25-man orgy held in defiance of pandemic lockdown restrictions.—
George Pendle,
airmail.news,
8 June 2024
-
During a cycle, a dishwasher drains from either a drainpipe or it empties straight into the garbage disposal in your sink.—
Jessica Farthing,
Southern Living,
8 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
While April and August saw more returns than departures, the overall trend remains a net outflow.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
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The worst day of outflows to date was Jan. 8, when bitcoin ETFs recorded $583 million of outflows.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Those embers can ride high winds for multiple miles to nestle in dry leaves or pine needles clogging a gutter, a wood-shingle roof, or shrubs, trees and other flammable vegetation close to a structure.—
Justin Angle,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2025
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Once one house starts—with a spark that catches on dry leaves in a rain gutter or drifts into an attic through a vent—the fire spreads house to house.—
Elizabeth Miller,
Outside Online,
12 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near drain
Cite this Entry
“Drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drain. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
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