Standard Lemma guide

exhausting

adj · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪɡˈzɔ(ː)stɪŋ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 G Z AO1 S T IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Very tiring.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • This task is exhausting!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: draining, tiresome, exhausting, exhaustive, fatiguing, grueling, tiring, weariful, wearing, wearisome, weary

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of exhaust

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

producing exhaustion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an exhausting march
  • the visit was especially wearing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tiring, wearing, wearying

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

having a debilitating effect

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an exhausting job in the hot sun

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: draining

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1éǵh Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h1éǵhs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Proto-Indo-European *h2ews- Proto-Indo-European *h2ews-ye-tider. Proto-Italic *auzjō Latin hauriō Latin exhauriō Latin exhaustusder. English exhaust English -ing English exhausting From exhaust + -ing.

Across languages

Translations

36 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: знясі́льваючы (znjasílʹvajučy) — Very tiring
  • Bulgarian: изтощителен (iztoštitelen) — Very tiring
  • Dutch: vermoeiend — Very tiring
  • Dutch: uitputtend — Very tiring
  • Finnish: uuvuttava — Very tiring
  • French: épuisant — Very tiring
  • French: éreintant — Very tiring
  • French: exténuant — Very tiring
  • French: usant — Very tiring
  • German: strapaziös — Very tiring
  • German: anstrengend — Very tiring
  • Greek: εξαντλητικός (exantlitikós) — Very tiring
  • Greek: εξοντωτικός (exontotikós) — Very tiring
  • Ancient Greek: κοπώδης (kopṓdēs) — Very tiring
  • Hindi: थकाऊ (thakāū) — Very tiring
  • Hungarian: fárasztó — Very tiring
  • Hungarian: kimerítő — Very tiring
  • Ido: exhaustanta — Very tiring
  • Italian: estenuante — Very tiring
  • Italian: spossante — Very tiring
  • Italian: sfiancante — Very tiring
  • Italian: faticoso — Very tiring
  • Italian: sfibrante — Very tiring
  • Italian: snervante — Very tiring
  • Khmer: យ៉ាប់ (yap) — Very tiring
  • Macedonian: исцрпен (iscrpen) — Very tiring
  • Polish: wyczerpujący — Very tiring
  • Romanian: obositor — Very tiring
  • Romanian: epuizant — Very tiring
  • Romanian: extenuat — Very tiring
  • Russian: изнури́тельный (iznurítelʹnyj) — Very tiring
  • Russian: утоми́тельный (utomítelʹnyj) — Very tiring
  • Spanish: agotador — Very tiring
  • Spanish: exhaustivo — Very tiring
  • Spanish: extenuante — Very tiring
  • Spanish: extenuador — Very tiring