exhausting

exhausting
exhaustive, exhausting
Both words are derived from the verb exhaust, but relate to different meanings. Exhaustive relates to the meaning ‘use up the whole of’ (as in exhausting a supply) and means ‘thorough or comprehensive’:

• We have all read the Steering Committee's exhaustive report —D. Meiring, 1979

• Now, after exhaustive research covering more than 2,500 Premiership matches, it has been proved: referees are ‘homers’ —Times, 2006.

Exhausting relates to the meaning ‘to tire (a person)’ and means ‘extremely tiring’ or ‘draining of strength’:

• He's known as the studio's resident Romeo, with a social life and a string of girlfriends which must be exhausting rather than exhilarating —Leicester Chronicle, 1976.

Beware of using exhaustive when you mean exhausting: ☒

• All of this may have been down to tiredness after an exhaustive season in lifting the Heineken Cup in May —Mirror, 2006.


Modern English usage. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Exhausting — Ex*haust ing, a. Producing exhaustion; as, exhausting labors. {Ex*haust ing}, adv. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Exhausting — Ex*haust ing, a. Producing exhaustion; as, exhausting labors. {Ex*haust ing}, adv. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • exhausting — index operose, oppressive Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • exhausting — exhaustingly, adv. /ig zaw sting/, adj. producing or tending to produce fatigue, weariness, or the like: an exhausting day; an exhausting child. [1530 40; EXHAUST + ING2] * * * …   Universalium

  • exhausting — ex|haust|ing [ıgˈzo:stıŋ US ˈzo:s ] adj making you feel extremely tired ▪ an exhausting process ▪ It had been an exhausting day …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • exhausting — adjective 1. having a debilitating effect (Freq. 1) an exhausting job in the hot sun • Syn: ↑draining • Similar to: ↑debilitating 2. producing exhaustion an exhausting march …   Useful english dictionary

  • Exhausting — Exhaust Ex*haust , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Exhausted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Exhausting}.] [L. exhaustus, p. p. of exhaurire; ex out + haurire, haustum, to draw, esp. water; perhaps akin to Icel. asua to sprinkle, pump.] 1. To draw or let out wholly; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • exhausting — adjective Apt at exhausting ; very tiring …   Wiktionary

  • exhausting — See exhaustive, exhausting …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • exhausting — adj. VERBS ▪ be ▪ become ▪ find sth ADVERB ▪ extremely, fairly, very, etc …   Collocations dictionary

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