exhausting

Exhausting is the present participle of the verb exhaust and is commonly used as an adjective. It describes something that causes strong fatigue or depletion of energy, time, or other resources. For example, an exhausting day, an exhausting hike, or an exhausting debate.

When used to modify a noun, exhausting often signals a high degree of strain or effort, more intense than terms like “tiring” or “draining.” It can refer to physical exertion, mental effort, emotional strain, or the depletion of supplies. It can also describe a process that uses up resources, as in “exhausting the remaining funds.”

In addition to fatigue, exhausting can appear in mechanical or environmental discussions. In mechanical contexts, exhaust typically refers to emissions from engines, and the participle form is usually linked to fatigue in everyday usage, though phrases such as “exhausting the reserves” describe removal or depletion of resources.

Etymology and related terms: exhausting derives from the verb exhaust, which traces to Latin exhaurire meaning to draw out or drain, via Old French influences. Related terms include exhaustion (the noun form referring to fatigue or depletion) and exhaust (the verb and noun relating to emissions or the act of drawing out). The adjective exhausted is the corresponding past participle, while exhaustive is a different adjective meaning thorough or comprehensive.

See also: fatigue, weariness, depletion, exhaustion, exhaust.