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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
At that moment, Burke felt the color drain from her face. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 July 2025 The biggest shock of the evening, though, was the scene at the 28th Street 1 station in Chelsea, where riders watched a brownish geyser erupt several feet in the air from a drain in front of the uptown platform’s turnstile. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 15 July 2025
Noun
Second, check for water that’s not draining properly. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 July 2025 The Sprague River, which drains the lands around Mount Mazuma, a key source of phosphorus, needs to be replumbed back to its old meandering ways and chock full of water plants to hold the phosphorus back. Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for drain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drain
Verb
  • These exercises increase your heart rate to pump more oxygenated blood to your muscles, which can improve your heart health over time.
    Aubrey Bailey, Verywell Health, 14 July 2025
  • After Adams’ September 2024 indictment on corruption charges, Holliday turned to Cuomo, pumping $100,000 into a super PAC that boosted the ex-governor’s primary run.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Pyne spent 15 seasons there as a firefighter, some of them living in an old cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
    Tom Zoellner, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
  • The low-budget indie production, which Zhou plans to direct, is scheduled to begin production in October and spend about three weeks filming.
    Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • The man accused of pulling the trigger in a Christmas Day shooting that killed two Milwaukee teenagers is no longer on the run.
    Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • They are expected to dwell on a central question that has not been answered: Why would a graduate student brutally kill four students who attended a nearby college, and leave two of their roommates alive?
    Bill Chappell, NPR, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • During an extreme-rainfall event, the force of the water cascading down these straightened sluices meets with no resistance from meanders, and a river often has no way of reaching its floodplains—frequently now developed—which could absorb and store some runoff.
    John Seabrook, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
  • The focus is on the Bangs Lake outfall control structure, which is currently maintained by manually making adjustments to the sluice gate.
    Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025
Noun
  • Israel has at times closed off the flow of aid into the strip, citing concerns about smuggling and looting by Hamas.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • But despite the long hours and the steady flow of projects, many contractors find themselves in a cycle of feast and famine—and often, the culprit isn’t the economy or competition.
    Robert Gauvreau, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • The perfumes and hand creams are manufactured in the United States, tapping into some of the relationships Christina built in the industry.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025
  • Clipse tapped Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Stove God Cooks, and more for their lyrical exhibition.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Good Culture took advantage of its own viral moment with an ad campaign embracing the various ways of preparing and consuming its product.
    Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Money, 26 July 2025
  • And each switch requires the brain to reorient itself, which consumes mental energy and slows overall performance, Dr. Schiff explains.
    Noma Nazish, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Verb
  • John tried physical therapy and wearing a brace, but the spine kept worsening.
    Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 23 July 2025
  • Meanwhile, Jackie opted for a long black Giambattista Valli gown featuring a floral neckline, while Sadie and Sunny also chose casual chic outfits for the bash, with the eldest daughter wearing a black top and baggy jeans, while Sunny donned a white T-shirt and jeans.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 22 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drain. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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