drain of resources

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "drain of resources" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where resources, such as money, time, or manpower, are being depleted or consumed excessively. Example: "The ongoing project has become a significant drain of resources, impacting our overall budget and productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Moreover, the greater the drain of resources from the private sector, arguably, the lower the growth potential of the economy.

The New York Times

Recent military episodes are too small to cleanly detect this in the data, but my recent work with Ellen McGrattan of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis presents evidence that one reason the World War II economy boomed was because the level of war expenditures which represent a pure drain of resources from households was off the chart.

Forbes

If President Obama approves McChrystal's maximal request, as John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Joe Lieberman, and other war hawks demand, it will be an enormous drain of resources in a time of great economic hardship.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

This part of our education system is being drained of resources.

The Guardian

The result has been a draining of resources from the many charities and institutions the nuns helped create.

The New York Times

We see public schools across our city drained of resources, set up to fail and eventually closed, with all of the teachers – good and bad – laid off.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Britain, and all participants in next month's Financing for Development conference, must take firm action to stop the draining of resources from countries such as Sierra Leone".

The Guardian

But as a group of global poverty NGOs argued this week, Africa is being drained of resources through western corporate profit extraction, extortionate debt repayments and one-sided trade "partnership" deals.

The Guardian - Opinion

Mr Bailey's successor, Iain Wright, is also worried that departmental cuts of up to 40 per cent in the next spending review will leave the business ministry, which would lose about £350m of its budget, drained of resources.

Independent

The former intelligence official told me he feared that one of the disastrous effects of the prison-abuse scandal would be the undermining of legitimate operations in the war on terror, which had already suffered from the draining of resources into Iraq.

The New Yorker

The worst of these was the transformation of a country that once relied entirely on its own sources for oil and natural gas into one that depends on imports, a draining of resources that has led to what many economists say is an annual inflation rate of 25 percent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "drain of resources", consider specifying the type of resources being depleted (e.g., financial, human, natural) for clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "drain of resources" without context. Clarify what is being drained and the consequences of this depletion to provide a more meaningful statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "drain of resources" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig confirms its usability in written English, as seen in its varied usage across contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "drain of resources" is a grammatically sound and usable noun phrase that describes the depletion or excessive consumption of assets, whether financial, human, or natural. As highlighted by Ludwig, it's most frequently encountered in news and media, scientific, and formal business contexts. While alternatives like "depletion of resources" or "exhaustion of resources" exist, "drain of resources" effectively conveys the ongoing and often detrimental impact of resource depletion. When using this phrase, specificity is key; clearly identifying the type of resources being drained enhances clarity and impact. According to Ludwig's AI, the phrase is indeed correct and can enrich your writing effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

outflow of resources

Focuses on the movement of resources away from a source.

depletion of resources

Emphasizes the reduction in the amount of resources available.

exhaustion of resources

Suggests that resources have been completely used up.

burden of resources

Highlights the challenging or oppressive nature of managing resources.

shrinkage of resources

Indicates a decrease in the size or extent of available resources.

loss of resources

Highlights the act of losing resources, whether through waste or other means.

wastage of resources

Emphasizes the inefficient or unnecessary use of resources.

leakage of resources

Implies a gradual and often unnoticed loss of resources.

drain of money

Specifies that the resources being depleted are financial.

drain of manpower

Specifies that the resources being depleted are human labor.

FAQs

How can I use "drain of resources" in a sentence?

You can use "drain of resources" to describe situations where something is consuming or depleting available assets, such as "The project became a significant drain of resources for the company."

What can I say instead of "drain of resources"?

Alternatives include "depletion of resources", "exhaustion of resources", or "outflow of resources", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "drain of resources" or "draining of resources"?

Both "drain of resources" and "draining of resources" are grammatically correct. "Drain of resources" is a noun phrase referring to the depletion itself, while "draining of resources" is a gerund phrase describing the process of depletion.

What's the difference between "drain of resources" and "loss of resources"?

"Drain of resources" implies a gradual depletion, often due to ongoing demands. "Loss of resources" suggests a more sudden or complete disappearance of resources.