exhausting

/ɛgˈzɑstɪŋ/

/ɛksˈɒstɪŋ/

Other forms: exhaustingly

Something that's exhausting tires or fatigues you. An exhausting hike up the side of a mountain leaves you gasping for breath and so tired you need to sit down and rest.

Some things, like a rigorous workout or a difficult type of manual labor, are physically exhausting. Others are mentally exhausting, like a long argument with a friend or a tricky calculus exam. The adjective exhausting is rooted in the Latin exhaurire, "draw off, take away, use up, or empty," which perfectly describes how you feel after an exhausting experience.

Definitions of exhausting

1. adjective

   having a debilitating effect
   “an exhausting job in the hot sun”

   synonyms: draining

   debilitating

   impairing the strength and vitality
2. adjective

   producing exhaustion
   “an exhausting march”

   synonyms: tiring, wearing, wearying

   effortful

   requiring great physical effort