Synonyms

deplete

American

[dih-pleet] / dɪˈplit /

verb (used with object)

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

deplete British

/ dɪˈpliːt /

verb

to use up (supplies, money, energy, etc); reduce or exhaust
to empty entirely or partially
med to empty or reduce the fluid contents of (an organ or vessel)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing deplete

100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Essential English Vocabulary, List 3

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Gene Wilder (1933-2016) Tribute List

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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:

deplete depletes depleted depleting

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 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

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

"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

And in the last quarter-century, relentless drought intensified by climate change has sapped the river’s flow and left its reservoirs severely depleted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

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

When the train pulled out of Hangzhou the next day, the Hsus found themselves depleted of some nine thousand dollars’ worth of goodwill.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

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

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

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

Sookie and Vern were talking about the depleting cod population in the ocean.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023