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:
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
The cost of common conditions that afflict retirees — from chronic illness to cardiovascular disease to cognitive decline — can deplete your savings with alarming speed.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026
The balance is delicate and government veterinarians have found that repeated small doses can gradually deplete an animal’s supply of the protective enzyme cholinesterase, so that without warning a minute additional dose will cause poisoning.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
"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
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
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
“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
You say your emergency fund will be depleted by your move, but I hope that you will gain some hard cash when you sell your home and downsize.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
Arizona and New Mexico will probably get substantial rains, he said, and the storm could also bring enough moisture farther north to give the Colorado River’s depleted reservoirs a small boost.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Hearing it and listening can create more room to notice when we’re depleted, sad, overwhelmed, or craving pleasure too.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
As a result, the spring snowmelt delivered far less water to reservoirs than it normally would, providing little relief for already depleted lake levels.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026
It depleted most of the N2 tank but was finally able to bring up the pressure.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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
"We are depleting these every day, despite the fact that we could face other potential conflicts around the world," the Democrat added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
Producers are dealing with depleting reserves and a dearth of sweet spots in the contiguous U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 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
The nation’s entire nuclear arsenal was dependent on only two sources: a single rapidly depleting mine in the Belgian Congo and another in Canada, near the Arctic Circle.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
