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
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
A scenario where the crucial Persian Gulf waterway remains mostly closed through the end of August would further deplete global Brent crude supplies and increase the odds of a “2008 train wreck scenario.”
From MarketWatch ● May 22, 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
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
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
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
She focused on the magic stores deep within her body, and noticed sadly how depleted they were.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
There has been a flurry of dealmaking in the gold sector as miners seek to attract investor attention and replace depleting reserves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 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
There’s dread about depleting global oil supplies and hopes around a deal to end the Iran war.
From MarketWatch ● May 26, 2026
Gravity shifts reveal changing mass on the planet’s surface, allowing the government to track everything from depleting global water tables to covert underground infrastructure.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
I feel like my energy is rapidly depleting.
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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.
