run on fumes
Barely keep going
To run on fumes is to continue operating with almost no energy or resources left, like a vehicle whose gas tank is nearly empty.
The phrase usually describes exhausted people pushing through despite depleted reserves: I've been running on fumes since Tuesday.
It can also apply to organizations or projects barely sustaining themselves: The campaign was running on fumes by election day.
Deeply tired, spent
- fatiguedDrained of energy
- drainedEmptied of resources
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- spentExhausted or disbursed
overworked · tired · depleted · worn-out · sapped · flagging · frazzled · exhausted
Deficient supply of necessities
- rationingLimiting distribution during scarcity
- scraping byBarely having enough
- barebonesReduced to essentials
- strappedLacking available funds
stretched · meager · limited · pinched · underfunded · sparse · deficit · bare minimum
weary
Deeply tired, spent
spent · overworked · tired · depleted · worn-out · sapped · flagging · frazzled · exhausted · stretched thin
shortage
Deficient supply of necessities
- rationingLimiting distribution during scarcity
- scraping byBarely having enough
- barebonesReduced to essentials
strapped · stretched · meager · limited · pinched · underfunded · sparse · deficit · bare minimum · shoestring
- energy idiomsfull of beans, second wind, burn out, fired up, pumped up
run on fumesfull of energy
firing on all cylinders · well-rested · fully charged · fresh as a daisy · topped off
run on fumesthriving
Succeeding vigorously
flourishing · going strong · in the zone · cruising · coasting
run, runs, running, runner, runners, runny, fume, fumes, fumed