DictionaryAI

consume

verb
kuhn-SOOM/kənˈsum/Saykuhn-SYOOM/kənˈsjuːm/AUS/kənˈsjʉːm/

Formsconsumes, consuming, consumed

7 meanings of consume

Practice

  1. 1
    verbtransitive
    To use something completely until none of it is left.

    Like eating all the food on your plate until nothing is left.

    The old heater can consume a lot of fuel in one night.

    Those backup batteries consumed all the power we had stored.

    Similaruse, expend, deplete, exhaust, spend

    Oppositeconserve, save, produce

    Note
  2. 2
    verbtransitive
    To eat or drink something.

    He can consume a whole pizza by himself.

    The children consumed their snacks in minutes.

    Similareat, devour, ingest, drink, swallow

  3. 3
    verbtransitive
    To destroy something completely, often by fire.

    Like a fire that eats up everything in its way.

    Flames consumed the old barn within minutes.

    The fire will consume everything in its path.

    Similardestroy, devour, ravage, engulf

    Note
  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To fill someone's mind so fully that they can think of little else.

    Like one big thought that fills your whole head and crowds everything else out.

    Worry about the exam consumed her all week.

    Jealousy can consume a person completely.

    Similarabsorb, preoccupy, obsess, grip, overwhelm

  5. 5
    verbtransitive
    To take in news or information, often from TV or the internet.

    Teenagers consume hours of video content every day.

    She consumed every article she could find about the election.

    Similarabsorb, devour

  6. 6
    verbtransitive or intransitive
    To buy and use goods or services with your money.

    Wealthier families consume more imported goods each year.

    When money is tight, people consume more cautiously.

    Similarbuy, purchase, spend

    Oppositeproduce, save

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 7
    verbobsoleteintransitive
    To slowly grow weaker and waste away.
    Therefore, let Benedick, like cover'd fire, / Consume away in sighs.
    1598, William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”Here, consume means waste away slowly, growing weaker.
    He assured her the child was consuming at that moment in the next room.
    1899, Kate Chopin, The AwakeningHere, consuming means slowly wasting away and growing weaker.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin cōnsūmere, made from con- ("together") and sūmō ("take"). It came into English through Old French.