deplete
Americanverb (used with object)
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depletes,
present (3rd person singular)
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depleted,
past participle, past
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depleting
present participle
verb
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to use up (supplies, money, energy, etc); reduce or exhaust
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to empty entirely or partially
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med to empty or reduce the fluid contents of (an organ or vessel)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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depletionnoun
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nondepletionnoun
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predepletionnoun
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predepleteverb (used with object)
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depletableadjective
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depletiveadjective
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depletoryadjective
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nondepletableadjective
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nondepletiveadjective
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nondepletoryadjective
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undepletedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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depletesimple
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depletessimple
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have depletedperfect
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has depletedperfect
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am depletingprogressive
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are depletingprogressive
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is depletingprogressive
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have been depletingperfect progressive
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has been depletingperfect progressive
Past
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depletedsimple
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had depletedperfect
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was depletingprogressive
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were depletingprogressive
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had been depletingperfect progressive
Future
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing deplete
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 3
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Gene Wilder (1933-2016) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
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 your biggest fear now is that something bad could still happen to deplete your funds before you die, maybe it is time to conquer that one too, because the math is on your side.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
High costs of advanced AI models like Fable 5 can quickly deplete developer budgets, driving demand for efficient infrastructure.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
If it gets into rivers it can be very damaging - causing algal blooms which block sunlight and deplete the water of oxygen, affecting wildlife.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
Even the background noise of a city can impact the ability to learn and remember, and can deplete neurological resources.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
"Dry weather depletes our water, and hot weather means we use more of it," they added.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
The caregiving burden this puts on younger generations results in a quiet shadow job, experts say — one that gets absorbed into their lives and depletes them physically, mentally and financially.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
If the conflict drags on and depletes critical materials stockpiles, the industry could face significant cost pressures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
In areas where unchecked pumping from wells severely depletes aquifers, once-thriving wetlands and forests can dry up and die.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2024
“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
It’s depleted after paying for all of these expenses, but that’s why it’s there — to be depleted in a time of need.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
The shift may also indicate the limited military options left available to the United States, where the press has reported that American munitions stockpiles have been heavily depleted.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
The result is a “60 Minutes” with a drastically depleted bench heading into a new season.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
With a weighty portfolio of cases, Pirro has been working to stabilize her Washington office, which has been depleted by resignations and dismissals since Trump returned to the White House.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
The alliance seemed to have a reasonable chance of succeeding, but eighteen months of warfare severely depleted Indigenous villages and agricultural resources.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
"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
Employers sometimes offer equity-based compensation in pay packages to attract high-quality candidates without depleting the company’s immediate operational cash.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
One is the new 'overtake' mode, the other is the way the 2026 engines work, almost completely depleting and recharging batteries several times a lap.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
Despite prolonged supply disruptions and depleting inventories, both benchmarks remain well below March’s levels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
It had become, in a very real way, a wealthy home, even though Morrie’s bank account was rapidly depleting.
From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
