English Reference
adjective · verb · noun

draining

adj. · v. · n.
US /ˈdɹeɪnɪŋ/ UK /dɹˈeɪnɪŋ/ drain·ing

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.making you feel very tired or taking away all your mental energy.

    adj.causing a significant depletion of physical or emotional energy; mentally or physically exhausting.

    Simple

    It was a long and draining day at the office with too many meetings.

    In context

    The constant emotional demands of the role proved incredibly draining, eventually leading the manager to seek a less stressful position.

    Pitfall
    I am very draining after work. I am very drained after work.

    Use 'draining' for the thing that causes the feeling (the job) and 'drained' for the person who feels it.

    energizingrefreshing
  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    v.the act of liquid flowing out of something until it is empty.

    v.the present participle of 'drain', describing the continuous process of liquid being drawn off or flowing away from a container or area.

    Simple

    The water is slowly draining from the sink after I cleared the pipe.

    In context

    By draining the flooded fields into the nearby canal, the farmers managed to save a significant portion of the autumn harvest.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical

    n.the process or system of moving liquid away from a place.

    n.the action or method by which something is emptied or liquid is removed; often used in technical or agricultural contexts.

    Simple

    The draining of the swamp took several months to complete.

    In context

    The rapid draining of the reservoir caused concern among local environmentalists regarding the impact on the native fish population.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency InformalSlang

    n.the hobby of exploring underground tunnels or pipes.

    n.the practice of exploring man-made underground structures such as drains, sewers, or storm tunnels.

    Simple

    He joined a group of people who enjoy draining in the old parts of the city.

    In context

    Draining remains a controversial subculture of urban exploration due to the significant safety risks and legal issues involved in entering storm systems.

    urban exploration

A key one is being tired —or worse, burned out —from working too hard for too long on draining tasks.

Phys.org· 25 Aug 2026

During this summer's heatwaves, people have taken to social media to report phone batteries draining faster because of the high temperatures, but forJimmy batteries are what enable him to get around.

BBC News· 11 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated