# exhaustion

/ɪɡˈzɔstʃən/ (US) · /ɛɡzˈɔːstʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/exhaustion
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. extreme tiredness

noun · CEFR B2

the state of being very tired, usually because you have worked too hard or exercised a lot.

For teachers: a state of extreme physical or mental fatigue resulting from prolonged effort or stress.

- After running the marathon, he collapsed on the grass in total exhaustion.
- The medical staff suffered from profound exhaustion after working double shifts for three consecutive weeks during the health crisis.

Usage: Uncountable in this sense.

### 2. using something up

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of using all of something so that none remains.

For teachers: the action or state of consuming or using up a resource until it is completely depleted.

- The exhaustion of the world's oil supplies is a major concern for scientists.
- The rapid exhaustion of the soil's nutrients forced the farmers to invest heavily in expensive synthetic fertilisers.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'of'.

Teaching tip: This sense is more common in academic or environmental contexts than in daily conversation.

### 3. creating a vacuum

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

the process of removing all the air or gas from a container.

For teachers: the process of evacuating a vessel to create a vacuum by removing all internal gases.

- The machine uses the exhaustion of air to seal the plastic bags tightly.
- The experiment required the complete exhaustion of the chamber to ensure that no air molecules interfered with the particle beam.

Teaching tip: In modern science, 'evacuation' is more frequently used for this process.

## Examples

- She collapsed onto the sofa in total exhaustion.
- After working three double shifts in a row, the medical staff suffered from severe physical and mental exhaustion.
- The rapid exhaustion of the region's natural resources led to a significant economic downturn as industries struggled to find alternative materials.

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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.