consuming

IPA/kənˈsjuːmɪŋ/
KK[kənsˈumɪŋ]IPA/kənˈsuːmɪŋ/

consuming — adjective

  • consumingpositive
  • more consumingcomparative
  • most consumingsuperlative

1. An emotion, interest, or need described as consuming is so powerful that it fill

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

An emotion, interest, or need described as consuming is so powerful that it fills your mind and takes over your life, leaving little room for other thoughts or activities.

Example

Dr. Lin's consuming passion for history took her to archives in six different countries.

collocation: consuming passion

A consuming jealousy ruined the friendship that the two musicians had shared for years.

Common collocations
  • consuming passion
  • consuming desire
  • consuming interest
  • consuming jealousy
  • consuming need
  • consuming ambition
  • consuming guilt
Synonyms
  • overwhelming

    broader; can describe both emotions and physical sensations

  • all-absorbing

    more formal; specifically about something taking all your attention

  • obsessive

    suggests unhealthy fixation; stronger and often negative

  • intense

    milder; describes strong feelings without the all-encompassing implication

Antonyms
  • faint

    barely noticeable or weak

  • mild

    gentle, not strong in degree

Usage Note

Typically used before nouns describing emotions, interests, or drives — such as passion, desire, jealousy, ambition, interest, or need. Frequently paired with possessive adjectives (her consuming passion, their consuming interest).

Common Mistakes

The consuming meal took two hours to eat.
The consuming desire to succeed took over his life.
'consuming' as an adjective describes emotions or drives, not food or physical consumption.
She had a consuming headache all day.
She felt a consuming guilt about the argument.
'consuming' describes overwhelming emotions, not physical pain.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While all four words describe strong feelings, 'consuming' uniquely suggests that the emotion takes over your entire life and demands all your attention. 'Overwhelming' is broader — a feeling can be overwhelming in the moment without being a permanent focus. 'All-absorbing' is close but more neutral and often used for hobbies or work rather than emotions. 'Obsessive' carries a stronger negative judgement, suggesting the feeling is unhealthy or excessive. 'Intense' is the mildest and most general; an intense conversation lasts an hour, but a consuming obsession lasts months. For example: 'She felt an overwhelming urge to cry' (temporary) vs. 'Her consuming grief reshaped her entire life' (all-encompassing).

overwhelming ↗all-absorbingobsessive ↗intense ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

'Consuming' comes from the Latin word 'consumere', meaning 'to use up, eat, waste, destroy'. The adjective sense developed in the 1600s as a metaphor: an emotion that 'consumes' or 'eats up' all your energy and attention, leaving nothing behind for other concerns.

First known use

1642

1642, in the meaning defined above