drained / depleted
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drained
Completely exhausted, weak, and without energy. Usually refers to a person's physical or emotional state.
Nach der langen Arbeitswoche fühlte sie sich am Freitagabend völlig ausgelaugt.
After the long workweek, she felt completely drained on Friday evening.
depleted
Stripped of its nutrients or valuable substances. Often refers to soils in agriculture or to exhausted mines.
Der Acker ist nach Jahren der Monokultur völlig ausgelaugt und braucht eine Erholungspause.
After years of monoculture, the field is completely depleted and needs a period of recovery.
The word comes from the verb 'auslaugen' (to leach out). Originally, it means to wash substances out of something with a liquid. This metaphor of 'removing substance' is then applied to people (energy) or soils (nutrients).
Man muss den Boden gut düngen, damit er nicht auslaugt.
You have to fertilize the soil well so that it does not become depleted.
You can easily recognize the meaning from the subject. If 'ausgelaugt' refers to a person, it means 'extremely exhausted'. If it refers to agricultural or geological things like soil or a mine, it means 'without nutrients/resources'.
Der Manager fühlte sich nach dem Quartalsende völlig ausgelaugt.
The manager felt completely drained after the end of the quarter.
When referring to people, 'ausgelaugt' is often intensified with adverbs like 'völlig' (completely), 'total' (totally), or 'komplett' (completely). A common construction is also 'sich ausgelaugt fühlen' (to feel drained).
Ich fühle mich nach dieser Grippe immer noch total ausgelaugt.
I still feel totally drained after this flu.
burned out
Both words describe a person who has no energy. „Ausgebrannt“ often points to prolonged stress or overwork, while „ausgelaugt“ can also describe how someone feels after a single particularly demanding period. Use „ausgebrannt“ for ongoing overload and „ausgelaugt“ for general physical or emotional exhaustion.
Nach dem langen Umzug war die Ärztin völlig ausgelaugt.
After the long move, the doctor was completely drained.
Nach Jahren voller Überstunden fühlte sich die Ärztin völlig ausgebrannt.
After years of working overtime, the doctor felt completely burned out.
