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exhaustion

B2
Fairly common

Pronunciation

UK

  • /ɛɡzˈɔːstʃən/

US

  • /ɪɡˈzɔstʃən/

Meanings

Noun

  1. extreme physical or mental tiredness

  2. the complete use or depletion of a supply or possibility

Beyond the definition

This is not just feeling tired after a long day. It is a deep sense of having no energy left, like a runner collapsing after a marathon or a person who has been under stress for too long. It can be physical, mental, or emotional, and sometimes all three happen together. People often feel this way after hard work, lack of sleep, illness, or long periods of pressure.

Examples

  1. 1

    Lack of sleep

    After three nights with almost no sleep, she was close to exhaustion.

  2. 2

    Race

    By the end of the race, two runners had collapsed from exhaustion.

    • Phrasefrom exhaustion

      because of extreme tiredness

  3. 3

    Overwork

    He worked to the point of exhaustion and still said he wasn't doing enough.

    • Phraseto the point of exhaustion

      until you become extremely tired

  4. 4

    Health warning

    The doctor told her to rest before stress turned into complete exhaustion.

More examples
  1. 5

    Newborn care

    Looking after a newborn can bring both happiness and deep exhaustion.

  2. 6

    Workplace pressure

    Months of pressure at work had left him with emotional exhaustion rather than physical tiredness.

    • Phraseemotional exhaustion

      feeling completely worn out mentally and emotionally

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Used with (collocations)

  • physical exhaustion
  • mental exhaustion
  • complete exhaustion
  • collapse from exhaustion

Word family

Explore

  • overexertion
  • sleep deprivation

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • exhaustionnoun