deplete

American  

[dih-pleet] / dɪˈplit /

verb (used with object)

• depletes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• depleted,
  past participle,  past
• depleting
  present participle

1. 

   to decrease seriously or exhaust the abundance or supply of.

   The fire had depleted the game in the forest. Extravagant spending soon depleted his funds.

   Synonyms:

   lessen, consume, reduce, drain

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deplete British  

/ dɪˈpliːt /

verb

1. to use up (supplies, money, energy, etc); reduce or exhaust

2. to empty entirely or partially

3. med to empty or reduce the fluid contents of (an organ or vessel)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• depletion
  noun
• nondepletion
  noun
• predepletion
  noun
• predeplete
  verb (used with object)
• depletable
  adjective
• depletive
  adjective
• depletory
  adjective
• nondepletable
  adjective
• nondepletive
  adjective
• nondepletory
  adjective
• undepleted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• depleting
  present
• depleted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• deplete
  simple
• depletes
  simple
• have depleted
  perfect
• has depleted
  perfect
• am depleting
  progressive
• are depleting
  progressive
• is depleting
  progressive
• have been depleting
  perfect progressive
• has been depleting
  perfect progressive

Past

• depleted
  simple
• had depleted
  perfect
• was depleting
  progressive
• were depleting
  progressive
• had been depleting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will deplete
  simple
• will have depleted
  perfect
• will be depleting
  progressive
• will have been depleting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of deplete

1800–10; < Latin dēplētus empty (past participle of dēplēre to empty out), equivalent to dē- de- + plē ( re ) to fill + -tus past participle suffix

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Explanation

To deplete is to use up or consume a limited resource. Visiting relatives might deplete your refrigerator of food, or a pestering friend might deplete your patience. The verb deplete is used like “to drain.” A long, exhausting day can deplete your body of energy and a summer drought can deplete a region’s water supply. If you deplete your body of hydration after a lot of exercise, be sure to replete yourself with a nice glass of water.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deplete depletes depleted depleting

Dateline Resources Ltd. is exploring for rare earth elements outside Joshua Tree National Park, sparking concerns it could deplete water supplies, draw traffic and generate toxic waste.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Before the experiment, the mice received a cocktail of antibiotics for two weeks to deplete their gut microbiome.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026

And even if that fact might make you depressed, scrolling will deplete one’s cynicism until it’s replaced by another attention-grabbing post.

From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026

If they both needed care at the same time, that would be well over budget and deplete their funds quickly.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

They marched through the work of the store as if they wanted to deplete themselves of every last bit of energy.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

The general idea is that going long stretches without eating depletes the body’s stored sugar, or glycogen, so it burns stored fat for energy.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

"If suddenly people go out and they start consuming that diesel, that depletes their available supply as well," he said.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The leak also depletes the source for a chemical reaction, which is generating heat that, in turn, accelerates the reaction in a process called “thermal runaway.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026

Defense contractors like RTX have come into focus as the conflict in Iran depletes the U.S.’s missile stockpile, and as hostilities raise defense budgets around the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

“Jonas can see beyond, Gabe. He can see to another place. But he has to work very hard at it. It depletes him.”

From "Son" by Lois Lowry

Speaking in the House of Commons, Hardy said the measures were down to "exceptional low rainfall" and depleted reservoir levels.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Basalts collected by Chang'e-6 show chemical signatures indicating that they originated from depleted mantle material, much like the low-Ti basalts brought back by Apollo astronauts.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

The group raised its forecast for next year’s demand growth to 2.55 million barrels a day, driven partly by the need to replenish depleted stocks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Months of emergency releases have significantly depleted the U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

The stranger had depleted almost all but the last remnants of her magic.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

People living near coasts, rivers and lakes ramp up fishing, depleting stocks rapidly until controls are enacted in some locations, along with increased farming for seaweed.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Chevron CEO Mike Wirth foresees months of declining oil reserves and depleting global stocks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Caregivers “report depleting savings, taking on debt, paying bills late, even downsizing their homes in order to afford the cost of care,” said George Kueppers, senior research manager at the NAC.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

"Now we don't get as much as before," she said, blaming destructive fishing methods, particularly the use of lights at sea, for the depleting stocks.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

Because of the peculiar status of the Fox Brothers baggage stock—whose numbers have been depleting all afternoon—I’ve seen for myself that they were fed and watered.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

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Related Words

• bankrupt
• decrease
• diminish
• drain
• empty
• expend
• impoverish
• lessen
• reduce
• sap
• squander
• undermine
• use up
• weaken

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