spent out

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spent out" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It can be used informally to describe being exhausted or having no more resources, but it is not widely recognized. Example: "After working three consecutive shifts, I felt completely spent out and needed a break."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

"The Liberal Democratic Party has shown itself to be tired and spent out".

The New York Times

A tan does not signify a chic trip to Capri, but it could mean hours of hard labour spent out in the harsh sun".

Independent

Once shiny and gleaming, they are now dulled and frayed by use, and by the days they spent out in the weather last year.

The New Yorker

There's been some improvement in trade, but by and large the consumer is pretty spent out, they're still in the process of de-leveraging.

Forbes

Geomatics is a very practical subject--a lot of time is spent out in the field collecting the all-important raw data.

Science Magazine

Some may want a foundation to carry on their legacy forever; others may want the bequest spent out at some point.

Forbes

Turner spent eight years at Everton but only made eight first-team appearances, with the majority of his tenure spent out on loan.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

This in fact may not be the case as vitamin D status is also dependent on time spent out-of-doors, skin exposure, and diet.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

The out-of-pocket burden will be calculated as the total amount spent out-of-pocket as a proportion of annual household income.

BMC Ophthalmology

For prescription medications, the names of up to 14 prescription medications purchased in the past 4 weeks were reported, and the amount spent out-of-pocket for each.

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation

Surprisingly, a very similar 'switch' signature was recorded from the aspiration samples of an AML patient (case A′) after 20 min and 120 min spent out-of-niche compared with his reference GEP (Table 2).

Blood Cancer Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "spent out" to describe not only physical exhaustion, but also the depletion of resources or energy in a broader sense, such as a political party that has "spent out" its ideas.

Common error

While "spent out" can effectively convey exhaustion or depletion, avoid using it in formal documents or academic papers. Opt for more formal alternatives like "exhausted", "depleted", or "consumed" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spent out" primarily functions as a predicate adjective, describing the state of a noun (e.g., a person or resource) as being exhausted or depleted. As Ludwig indicates, this phrase, while acceptable, is not standard in written English and may not be appropriate in all contexts. See example: "The Liberal Democratic Party has shown itself to be tired and spent out"

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

31%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Academia

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "spent out" is a phrase used to describe a state of being exhausted or depleted, suitable for informal contexts. Ludwig notes that while acceptable, the phrase is not standard in written English. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Science contexts, but less so in formal academic or business settings. When writing, consider the audience and formality of the text before using "spent out", opting for alternatives like "exhausted" or "depleted" in more formal situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely exhausted

Emphasizes a state of total fatigue or depletion, intensifying the feeling conveyed by "spent out".

totally depleted

Highlights the exhaustion of resources or energy, similar to being "spent out".

utterly drained

Focuses on the loss of vitality or energy, akin to the feeling of being "spent out".

used up entirely

Stresses that something has been completely consumed or utilized, comparable to being "spent out".

completely worn out

Indicates a state of extreme fatigue or disrepair, mirroring the sense of being "spent out".

fully consumed

Emphasizes that something has been completely used, similar to being "spent out".

entirely exhausted

Highlights a state of complete and utter fatigue, akin to the sensation of being "spent out".

finished completely

Focuses on the completion or termination of something, related to being "spent out".

distributed fully

Indicates that something has been entirely allocated or spread out, similar to being "spent out" in the context of resources.

totally allocated

Emphasizes that resources have been completely assigned or distributed, akin to being "spent out" in a resource management context.

FAQs

What does "spent out" mean?

The phrase "spent out" generally means exhausted, depleted, or completely used. It can refer to physical or mental fatigue, or to the exhaustion of resources.

How can I use "spent out" in a sentence?

You can use "spent out" to describe feeling extremely tired, like "After the marathon, I was completely spent out". It can also describe something that has been fully used, such as "The political party has shown itself to be tired and "spent out"".

What can I say instead of "spent out"?

You can use alternatives like "exhausted", "depleted", "worn out", or "consumed", depending on the context.

Is "spent out" grammatically correct?

While "spent out" is not incorrect, it is considered informal and is more common in spoken language. In formal writing, it's better to use more standard alternatives like "exhausted" or "depleted".