consume
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to undergo destruction; waste away.
-
to use or use up consumer goods.
verb
-
(tr) to eat or drink
-
(tr; often passive) to engross or obsess
-
(tr) to use up; expend
my car consumes little oil
-
to destroy or be destroyed by burning, decomposition, etc
fire consumed the forest
-
(tr) to waste or squander
the time consumed on that project was excessive
-
(passive) to waste away
Other Word Forms
- consuming adjective
- consumingly adverb
- half-consumed adjective
- overconsume verb
- preconsume verb (used with object)
- unconsumed adjective
- underconsume verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of consume
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French consumer, from Latin consūmere, from con- con- + sūmere “to take up” (equivalent to subs-, variant of sub- sub- + emere “to take, buy”; emptor ( def. ) )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The reason: Net imports of oil and liquefied natural gas consume 1% to 2% of European gross domestic product, whereas net exports contribute 0.2% to U.S. output.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Borgli fearlessly asks how quickly the images we consume by scrolling or watching the news affect our thinking.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
"Sure, AI data centres consume massive amounts of energy, contribute to air pollution, and drain the water supply from local communities," Forcino said.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Although many foods naturally contain sodium, most people consume the majority of it through processed foods, packaged items, and restaurant meals.
From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026
Chakrabarty’s lawyers argued that since normal bacteria don’t consume oil, Chakrabarty’s bacteria weren’t naturally occurring—they only existed because he’d altered them using “human ingenuity.”
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
