consumption

What does “consumption” mean?

noun.the using up of a resource.

SAT Usage

This term is often found in passages related to economics, environmental science, or health, emphasizing the impact of resource use on society and the planet. It implies a critical examination of how resources are utilized and the consequences of overuse, distinguishing it from benign terms like "use" or "utilization," which do not carry the same connotations of depletion or scarcity.

Common Confusions

Consumption implies the active depletion of resources, while use usually suggests a more neutral or benign application without connotations of scarcity or overuse.

Example Sentences

• Reducing sugar consumption can improve long-term health outcomes.

• The fire's consumption of the forest caused ecological changes.

• The consumption of sugary drinks has been linked to an increase in childhood obesity rates.

Word Parts: How to Remember “consumption”

Break “consumption” into its parts: co- (together, with). Knowing roots like these helps you decode unfamiliar SAT vocabulary.

• Prefix: co- together, with (Latin)