exhaustion

/ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/ (ame, ipa) · /ig-ˈzȯs-chən/ (ame, mw)

exhaustion — noun

1. the condition of being so physically or mentally tired that you have almost no e

1.名詞B1
釋義

the condition of being so physically or mentally tired that you have almost no energy left to do anything.

例句

After hiking the steep trail for six hours, Wei collapsed with exhaustion near the summit.

collocation: collapse with exhaustion

The night-shift nurse worked twelve days straight and reached a state of complete exhaustion.

collocation: complete exhaustion

同義詞
  • fatigue

    less intense than exhaustion; can mean ordinary tiredness

  • tiredness

    the everyday general term; less severe than exhaustion

  • burnout

    specifically long-term mental/emotional exhaustion from overwork

反義詞
  • energy

    the opposite state of having strength available

用法筆記

Uncountable — do not say 'an exhaustion' or 'exhaustions'. Frequently modified by adjectives such as complete, total, sheer, and physical.

常見錯誤

❌I felt an exhaustion after the exam.
✅I felt exhaustion after the exam.
💡exhaustion is uncountable; use no article.
❌She died of tire.
✅She died of exhaustion.
💡tiredness is the everyday word, but exhaustion is the medical/clinical term for extreme fatigue.

2. the process of using up all of a supply or stock of something such as natural re

2.名詞B2
釋義

the process of using up all of a supply or stock of something such as natural resources, fuel, money, or food, until nothing useful is left.

例句

The rapid exhaustion of the village's well left everyone searching for new water sources.

pattern: exhaustion of [resource]

Overfishing caused the exhaustion of cod stocks in the North Atlantic fishing grounds.

同義詞
  • depletion

    more neutral — can describe partial as well as total reduction

  • draining

    emphasises the gradual process of loss

  • consumption

    focuses on the act of using up; less dramatic than exhaustion

反義詞

文法句型

exhaustion of [resource]

用法筆記

Typically followed by 'of' + the thing being depleted. Frequently used with environmental or resource-related nouns such as soil, water, fuel, and stocks.

常見錯誤

❌The exhaustion of the workers was a problem for the factory.' (when you mean tiredness)
✅Use 'exhaustion of' only for using up a supply. For tired people, use sense 1 without 'of'.
❌Water exhaustions are a serious issue.
✅Water exhaustion is a serious issue.
💡exhaustion is uncountable even in this sense.