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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
Treating those chronic conditions already drains hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 4 June 2025 Sessions can trigger unexpected memories, body sensations, or emotional waves that leave you drained. Kathleen Ferraro, SELF, 4 June 2025
Noun
Key Insights: Resource drain: Prolonged negotiations drain resources that could be used elsewhere in the business. Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 She’s had two engineering assessments conducted on her house, paid about $15,000 out of pocket to add a new drain system, install waterproofing layers, and repair the side of her house, but nothing has kept water away. Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for drain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drain
Verb
  • The letter urged the court to pump the brakes on the process, citing legal concerns with outdated population data and Voting Rights Act violations.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 May 2025
  • Hernández: Gerrit was just pumping fuel and emotion that inning.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • The actor-writer-director, who is 31 and uses they/she pronouns, has spent the last decade or so as a niche internet presence, going viral periodically on Twitter (and then X) and TikTok with satirical front-facing videos and bone-dry one-liners.
    Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2025
  • Sacramento County’s budget outlines recommendations of how the county should spend its money throughout the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
    Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • The California Department of Justice will investigate a fatal shooting by Los Angeles Police Department officers under a law that empowers the state attorney general to probe police shootings of unarmed people — despite the LAPD saying the man killed Tuesday was holding a gun.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
  • In a separate development, Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 26 people late Tuesday and into Wednesday, according to hospital officials.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • Still, on May 4, India lowered sluice gates at the Baglihar dam, effectively reducing the downstream flow to Pakistan through the Chenab River by up to 90%, according to the Hindustan Times.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 7 May 2025
  • 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
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Russian crude shipments declined by 170,000 barrels per day in May, bringing total flows to a daily average of 3.24 million.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Inside, curved walls and airy, open layouts create a gentle flow throughout, while bespoke pieces by First Nations-Hungarian artist Tiarna Herczeg infuse the space with vibrant color and cultural richness.
    Alli Forde, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • She’s now tapped St. Louis superstar Sexyy Red for the song’s official remix.
    Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 30 May 2025
  • Writer, filmmaker and curator Ducharme, who hails from the Métis community of St. Ambroise on Treaty 1 Territory, has tapped into his own experiences for the screenplay.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Soy is a common allergen, and thus the undeclared ingredient could pose a risk to those with a soy allergy who consume the product.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 27 May 2025
  • For example, in 2024, China supplied 70 percent of all lithium-ion batteries consumed in the U.S.
    Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Sienna, 8, wore her hair in adorable pigtails while Ciara wore a middle part with loose curls pulled back.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 June 2025
  • One Amazon reviewer wore them during a trip to Italy and said their feet felt great after being on them all day in the heat.
    Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drain. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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