to eat or drink something, to use up a resource, to be engrossed or absorbed in something

consume oneself, consume one's life, consume with envy

consume with desire, consume by fire, consume time

Formal and Informal Expressions of consume

In different contexts, you can replace 'consume' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'ingest, deplete' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'eat up, use up' is a commonplace synonym.

consume: Explore its Definition & Usage

consume Definition

1to eat or drink something
2to use up a resource
3to be engrossed or absorbed in something

Using consume: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "consume" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
She consumed the entire pizza by herself.
Example
The factory consumes a lot of energy.
Example
He was consumed with guilt over what he had done.
Example
The fire consumed the entire building.

consume Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for consume

Antonyms for consume

Idioms Using consume

consume oneself
to be preoccupied or obsessed with one's own thoughts or concerns
Example
He consumed himself with worry over the outcome of the trial.
consume one's life
to take up all of one's time, energy, or attention
Example
Her job consumed her life, leaving little time for anything else.
consume with envy
to feel intense jealousy or resentment towards someone
Example
She was consumed with envy when she saw her friend's new car.

Phrases with consume

consume with desire
to have an intense longing or craving for something
Example
He was consumed with desire for her, unable to think of anything else.
consume by fire
to destroy completely by burning
Example
The forest was consumed by fire, leaving nothing but ash and debris.
consume time
to take up or require a significant amount of time
Example
The project consumed all of his free time for weeks on end.

Origins of consume

from Latin 'consumere', meaning 'to use up'

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Summary: consume in Brief

The verb 'consume' [kənˈsjuːm] has three main meanings: to eat or drink something, to use up a resource, and to be engrossed or absorbed in something. It can refer to physical consumption, as in 'She consumed the entire pizza by herself,' or emotional consumption, as in 'He was consumed with guilt.' 'Consume' also appears in phrases like 'consume with desire' and idioms like 'consume oneself,' which denote intense preoccupation or obsession.