# consumed

/kənˈsumd/ (US) · /kənsˈuːmd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/consumed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. used or eaten

verb · CEFR B2

used something up, or ate or drank something.

For teachers: the past tense of consume, indicating the act of using a resource or ingesting food or drink.

- The family consumed all the food in the fridge over the weekend.
- The industrial sector consumed nearly forty percent of the nation's total energy output during the peak winter months.

Usage: As a transitive verb, it always requires a direct object representing the resource or item used.

### 2. filled with emotion

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

to be completely filled with a very strong feeling like guilt, love, or anger.

For teachers: completely preoccupied or overwhelmed by a specific, intense emotion or interest.

- He was consumed by guilt after he forgot his best friend's wedding.
- She became entirely consumed by her research, often working through the night and neglecting her social obligations.

Usage: Usually followed by the preposition 'by' or 'with'.

### 3. destroyed by fire

verb · CEFR B2

completely destroyed by a fire.

For teachers: to be completely destroyed or taken over by fire or a similar destructive force.

- The old wooden barn was quickly consumed by the flames.
- The historic library was unfortunately consumed by the fire before the local emergency services could arrive on the scene.

## Examples

- The old car consumed a lot of fuel on the trip.
- The fire quickly consumed the dry grass in the field before the rain started.
- He was so consumed by his research that he often forgot to eat or sleep, eventually losing track of the world outside his laboratory.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.