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Glite Dictionary
to leach energy

to leach energy

7.4
To slowly take away energy and interest from people
  • phrasal verb
  • /liːtʃ ˈɛnərdʒi/
  • UK
translation icon : drenar energía
  • These tedious meetings always leach energy out of the entire department.

Examples

  • Constant negativity can leach energy from even the most optimistic team.

  • The long meeting began to leach energy from the team.

  • After hours of arguing, she felt the conflict had leached energy from her spirit.

  • Don't let negativity leach energy from your day!

  • After hours of arguing, she felt the conflict had leached energy from her spirit.

  • Constant negativity can leach energy from even the most optimistic team.

  • These tedious meetings always leach energy out of the entire department.

Synonyms

to exhaust
vsto leach energy
194 3.2

To make someone very tired

is about a slower, more gradual drain rather than complete exhaustion
to wear down
vsto leach energy
27 4.1

Slowly make a person or thing weaker by repeated pressure

is similar but stresses loss of energy or enthusiasm specifically
to sap
vsto leach energy
14 5.6

To slowly make someone or something weaker

is the same gradual loss but includes loss of enthusiasm as well
to deplete
vsto leach energy
13 6.3

To use up almost all of something so little is left

focuses instead on steadily draining personal energy or enthusiasm rather than supplies
to tucker
vsto leach energy
  • Informal
8 9.4

To make someone very tired

is less abrupt and more about steady reduction of energy and spirit
to dissipate
vsto leach energy
3 7.0

To use money or energy in a foolish, wasteful way

is specifically about slowly draining someone's energy or enthusiasm rather than waste
to enervate
vsto leach energy
  • Formal
2 9.0

Make someone feel weak and without energy

is more about a steady draining rather than a single weakening act
to dampen spirits
vsto leach energy
2 4.9

Make someone feel less happy and excited

covers both tiredness and lowered enthusiasm, not only mood
to bleed dry
vsto leach energy
  • Informal
1 7.3

Use up all a person's money or other resources

is less absolute and focuses on gradual draining rather than total removal
to stultify
vsto leach energy
  • Formal
1 9.8

Make someone or something lose energy and stop working well

is narrower by emphasizing gradual draining of spirit and energy
to wash out
vsto leach energy
  • Informal
1 4.8

Make someone feel very weak and tired

is similar but highlights a gradual, ongoing loss rather than sudden weakness
to exsanguinate
vsto leach energy
1 9.9

To make something weak by taking away what it needs

is similar but used for ongoing loss of energy and enthusiasm
to devitalize
vsto leach energy
8.1

To make a place or group less lively and energetic

focuses more on the slow loss of energy and enthusiasm
to run off someone's feet
vsto leach energy
  • UK
7.1

To make someone very busy and tired with too much work

describes a slower wearing away of energy and enthusiasm over time

Antonyms

to energize
  • US
65 3.7

To make someone feel more active and alert

to revitalize
  • US
45 4.8

To give new life and energy to something

How Draining

to exhaust
194 3.2
to deplete
13 6.3
to leach energy
  • UK
7.4
to wear down
27 4.1
to tire
23 1.0

Surface Forms

leach energy infinitive
leached energy past
leached energy past participle
leaching energy present participle
leaches energy third person singular

Morphology

leach + energy

The verb 'leach' denotes removing or draining (originally in a chemical sense), so when combined with 'energy' the sense 'to drain or remove energy gradually' is directly derivable from the parts. Although slightly metaphorical, the remove+object composition is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Leach energy comes from the image of water slowly washing things out of soil: to leach is to pull or wash something away and energy is what is lost. So, the phrase means 'to slowly drain someone or something of energy or enthusiasm'.