running dry
Supply almost gone
Running dry describes a supply diminishing to the point of exhaustion.
A well runs dry when its water is depleted.
Figuratively, anything that can be exhausted runs dry—money, patience, ideas, luck: Our funding is running dry, I'm running dry on excuses.
The phrase emphasizes gradual depletion rather than sudden loss.
Extremely dry or thirsty
- aridDevoid of water
- waterlessWithout any liquid
- dustbowlDrought-stricken eroded region
- cracked earthDried ground with fissures
wilted · sunbaked · desiccated · barren · dried up · evaporation · desertification · rainless
Emptied of resources
- depletedSeverely reduced or emptied
- exhaustedUtterly depleted of energy
- emptiedRemoved all contents from
- dwindlingProgressively becoming smaller
diminishing · evaporating · shrinking · waning · ebbing · tapping out · spent · used up
Deficient supply of necessities
- deficitAmount still owed
- lackDeficiency or absence
- dearthAcute shortage of something
- insufficiencyShortfall in amount needed
paucity · shortfall · want · undersupply · rationing · stretched thin · lean times · hard to come by
parched
Extremely dry or thirsty
cracked earth · wilted · sunbaked · desiccated · barren · dried up · evaporation · desertification · rainless · scorched
drained
Emptied of resources
- depletedSeverely reduced or emptied
- exhaustedUtterly depleted of energy
- emptiedRemoved all contents from
dwindling · diminishing · evaporating · shrinking · waning · ebbing · tapping out · spent · used up · consumed
shortage
Deficient supply of necessities
insufficiency · paucity · shortfall · want · undersupply · rationing · stretched thin · lean times · hard to come by · pinched
uninspired
Lacking creative spark
- depletingusing up, depleting, exhausting, draining, consuming
- declinedecline, in decline, decrease, downswing, on the decline
- decliningdeclining, waning, fading, diminishing, decreasing
- giving outhanding out, sharing, donating, distributing, dispensing
running dryoverflowing
Exceeding capacity, spilling out
flooding · brimming · gushing · flowing freely · spilling over
running dryabundant
Existing in great quantity
plentiful · replenished · inexhaustible · bottomless · flush
running dryflowing freely
inspired · prolific · on a roll · fertile · productive
running, dry, run, runs, runner, runners, dryer, drying, drily