drain

1 of 2

verb

drained; draining; drains

transitive verb

1
a
: to draw off (liquid) gradually or completely
drained all the water out of the pool
b
: to cause the gradual disappearance of
drain the region's wealth
c
: to exhaust (see exhaust entry 1 sense 1b) physically or emotionally
feeling drained at the end of a long workday
2
a
: to make gradually dry
drain a swamp
b
: to carry away the surface water of
the river that drains the valley
c
: to deplete or empty by or as if by drawing off by degrees or in increments
drained the country of its resources
d
: to empty by drinking the contents of
drain a mug of beer
3
sports : drop sense 7c, sink
drain the putt
drained two free throws
4
obsolete : filter

intransitive verb

1
: to become emptied or freed of liquid by its flowing or dropping
waiting for the tub to drain
2
: to discharge surface or surplus water
drains into the Gulf of Mexico
3
a
: to flow off gradually
b
: to disappear gradually : dwindle
his nervousness drained away, as it always didH. A. Sinclair
drainer noun

drain

2 of 2

noun

1
: a means (such as a pipe) by which usually liquid matter is drained
2
: something that causes depletion : burden
a drain on the city's resources
3
a
: the act of draining
b
: a gradual outflow or withdrawal : depletion
a net drain from the East of five million soulsG. W. Pierson
4
electronics : an electrode in a field-effect transistor toward which charge carriers move compare gate, source
Phrases
down the drain
: to a state of being wasted or irretrievably lost
All their hard work went down the drain.
Choose the Right Synonym for drain

deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency.

deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function.

depleting our natural resources

drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence.

personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit

exhaust stresses a complete emptying.

her lecture exhausted the subject

impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness.

impoverished soil

bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse.

war had bankrupted the nation of resources

Examples of drain in a Sentence

Verb Drain the canned tomatoes before adding them to the pot. The swamp has been drained. I was waiting for the bathtub to drain. The river drains into a lake. Years of civil war have drained the country's resources. The city's emergency fund has been drained. I feel totally drained of energy this evening. Noun The drain in the bathtub is blocked.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Left unchecked, their unpaid bills, gratuitous spending or willingness to give away their money whenever asked can drain their savings and push them into debt. Andrew Torgan, CNN, 27 Oct. 2024 Then the bench came in after seven minutes and scored 13 unanswered points, pushing the pace and draining a pair of 3s. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2024
Noun
Whatever increases in labor cost in the additional 10% demand will quickly be absorbed by the ongoing cash drain caused by not producing aircraft and capturing the unit profits that are realized at delivery. Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 Prior outbreaks have been associated with the presence of listeria on floors, drains, tables, knives, conveyor belts and many other areas in processing facilities. Mustafa Fattah, NBC News, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for drain 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English draynen, from Old English drēahnian — more at dry

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Noun

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drain was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near drain

Cite this Entry

“Drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drain. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

drain

1 of 2 verb
1
a
: to draw off or flow off gradually or completely
drain water from a tank
b
: to exhaust physically or emotionally
2
: to make or become gradually dry or empty
drain a swamp
drained the country of its resources
drainer noun

drain

2 of 2 noun
1
: a means (as a pipe, channel, or sewer) of draining
2
a
: the act of draining
b
: a gradual using up
3
: something that causes a using up
a drain on our resources

Medical Definition

drain

1 of 2 transitive verb
1
a
: to draw off (liquid) gradually or completely
drain pus from an abscess
b
: to exhaust physically or emotionally
2
: to carry away or give passage to a bodily fluid or a discharge from
drain an abscess
the eustachian tube drains the middle earH. G. Armstrong

intransitive verb

: to flow off gradually
blood draining from a wound

drain

2 of 2 noun
: a tube or cylinder usually of absorbent material for drainage of a wound see cigarette drain

More from Merriam-Webster on drain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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