spent

adjective

ˈspent 

1

a

: used up : consumed

b

: exhausted of active or required components or qualities often for a particular purpose

spent nuclear fuel

2

: drained of energy or effectiveness : exhausted

3

: exhausted of spawn or sperm

spent fishes

Synonyms

• all in
• aweary [archaic]
• beat
• beaten
• bleary
• burned-out
• burnt-out
• bushed
• dead
• done
• drained
• exhausted
• fatigued
• jaded
• knackered [British]
• limp
• logy
• loggy
• played out
• pooped [slang]
• prostrate
• tapped out
• tired
• tuckered (out)
• washed-out
• wearied
• weary
• wiped out
• worn
• worn-out

Examples of spent in a Sentence

he plopped down in his chair, completely spent, and then fell asleep

Recent Examples on the Web

For those reasons, Christian conservatism, although hardly a spent force, will likely wane as a political movement, as the religious politics of the United States seem to have reached another inflection point. —James Morone, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2015

When days are consistently in the 90s, the yellow-colored flowers can dry up and fall off, which means no flower pollination and no tomatoes from the spent blossoms. —Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 13 July 2024

Found near her bones was a spent bullet that matched Kimball's gun. —Harold Dow, CBS News, 15 June 2024

Many gardeners will snip petunia buds, mistaking them for spent flowers. —Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from past participle of spenden to spend

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing spent

• a spent force
• well spent

Kids Definition

spent

adjective

ˈspent 

1

: used up

2

: drained of energy