consumption
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of eating or drinking something.
the ingestion of food or liquid. Uncountable in this general sense.
Simple“The doctor advised him to reduce his daily consumption of sugar.”
In context“Public health experts are concerned that the excessive consumption of processed fats is contributing to a rise in heart disease among younger populations.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the amount of something that is used, such as fuel, energy, or time.
the process of using up a resource or the specific amount of a resource used. Often used in economic or technical contexts.
Simple“The new car has much lower fuel consumption than the old model.”
In context“Industrial energy consumption peaked during the winter months, forcing the government to implement temporary subsidies for smaller manufacturing firms.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the act of buying and using products and services.
the purchase and use of goods and services by the public, often viewed as an economic indicator.
Simple“The report shows that domestic consumption has increased this year.”
In context“Economists argue that a shift toward sustainable consumption is necessary to mitigate the environmental impact of global trade.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
an old word for a serious lung disease called tuberculosis.
a historical term for pulmonary tuberculosis, characterized by a wasting away of the body.
Simple“In the nineteenth century, many famous poets died of consumption.”
In context“The novel depicts the tragic decline of the protagonist as she succumbs to consumption, a common literary trope in Victorian fiction.”
Synonyms
Usage consumption homogeneous · human consumption · increased consumption
“They then monitored food consumption, body weight, fat mass, blood sugar control and brain activity.”
“At current mortality rates, the protein loss was equivalent to the annual beef protein consumption of about 4.5 million Kenyans.”
From Middle English consumpcioun, from Old French consumpcion, from Latin cōnsūmptiō, from cōnsūmō + -tiō, from con- (“with, together”) + sūmō (“take; consume”). Equivalent to consume + -tion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.