deposit
Americanverb (used with object)
-
deposits,
present (3rd person singular)
-
deposited,
past participle, past
-
depositing
present participle
-
to place for safekeeping or in trust, especially in a bank account.
He deposited his paycheck every Friday.
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to give as security or in part payment.
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to deliver and leave (an item).
Please deposit your returned books with the librarian.
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to insert (a coin) in a coin-operated device.
Deposit a quarter and push the button.
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to put, place, or set down, especially carefully or exactly.
She deposited the baby in the crib.
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to lay or throw down by a natural process; precipitate.
The river deposited soil at its mouth.
verb (used without object)
-
deposits,
present (3rd person singular)
-
deposited,
past participle, past
-
depositing
present participle
noun
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deposits
plural
-
money placed in a bank account or an instance of placing money in a bank account.
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anything given as security or in part payment.
The boy returned the bottle and got his five-cent deposit back.
They made a deposit on the house and signed a ten-year mortgage.
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anything laid away or entrusted to another for safekeeping.
A large deposit of jewels was stolen from the hotel safe.
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a place for safekeeping; depository.
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something precipitated, delivered and left, or thrown down, as by a natural process.
a deposit of soil.
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the natural sediment of wine in a bottle.
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a coating of metal deposited on something, usually by an electric current.
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a natural accumulation or occurrence, especially of oil or ore.
a mountain range with many rich deposits of gold.
verb
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to put or set down, esp carefully or in a proper place; place
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to entrust for safekeeping; consign
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to place (money) in a bank or similar institution in order to earn interest or for safekeeping
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to give (money) in part payment or as security
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to lay down naturally; cause to settle
the river deposits silt
noun
-
-
an instance of entrusting money or valuables to a bank or similar institution
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the money or valuables so entrusted
-
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money given in part payment or as security, as when goods are bought on hire-purchase See also down payment
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a consideration, esp money, given temporarily as security against loss of or damage to something borrowed or hired
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an accumulation of sediments, mineral ores, coal, etc
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any deposited material, such as a sediment or a precipitate that has settled out of solution
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a coating produced on a surface, esp a layer of metal formed by electrolysis
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a depository or storehouse
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payable as the first instalment, as when buying on hire-purchase
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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depositsimple
-
depositssimple
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have depositedperfect
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has depositedperfect
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am depositingprogressive
-
are depositingprogressive
-
is depositingprogressive
-
have been depositingperfect progressive
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has been depositingperfect progressive
Past
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depositedsimple
-
had depositedperfect
-
was depositingprogressive
-
were depositingprogressive
-
had been depositingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of deposit
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin dēpositus “laid down,” past participle of dēpōnere; see depone
Explanation
You are making a deposit when you put money into your bank account. In that sentence, deposit is a noun, but you could express the same action using deposit as a verb. You deposit money into your bank account. The verb deposit can be used to refer to anything that you put down or in place. If you're carrying your keys and groceries from the car, you may deposit those items on the counter. Just be careful you don't end up playing "where are my keys" in the morning, if the counter is not your usual place for depositing them. You can also use deposit when nature does the placing. You find a deposit of gold in the mountain rock or there is sediment deposited at the bottom of a river.
Vocabulary lists containing deposit
Gold Rush: Mining and Metals
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Africa - Introductory
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Africa - Middle School
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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:
If you are concerned about constantly transferring money from the United States and paying foreign transaction and/or ATM fees, international direct deposit could be more convenient.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Meanwhile, more traditional regional banks were facing questions about tepid loan growth and intense deposit competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Fillol pays 350 euros a month for a room barely big enough for a bed and a computer desk, allowing her to save towards a deposit on her own home.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
It also took reservations for regular Roadsters, each of which had a starting price of $200,000 and required a $50,000 deposit.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
Flannery would take me away from here and deposit me into her fictitious world crawling with self-righteous saints and larger-than-life misfits.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Since 2017, Tesla has collected numerous deposits of $50,000 from customers who wanted to reserve their Roadster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
The exact total depends on the timing of your deposits, compounding, taxes and fees.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
In a study published in the Journal of Paleontology, Datta and Bajpai described additional fossil snakes from Eocene deposits in western India.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
Competition for deposits has intensified, with some lenders offering promotional rates above the central bank’s 3.9% base rate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
His uncle trusts him, even to make bank deposits.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
But these sites also come with dangers, as demonstrated by the massive Moss Landing battery fire in January 2025, which prompted the evacuation of about 1,500 residents and deposited heavy metals in a nearby estuary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
The researchers suggest the Altar Stone could have been deposited in the Dogger Bank region by ice.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026
Traders flocked to the platform and deposited over a half-billion dollars into their accounts, according to a person familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Soot deposited on snow and ice absorbs more sunlight and accelerates melting.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
It had been more than ten years since Penelope had been deposited at Swanburne’s doorstep.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Since the prehistoric era, humans have recognized the ritual power of wetlands, some by depositing votive offerings into bogs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Sources also allege that individuals outside the prison are depositing thousands of dollars into the commissary accounts of those performing services for the “Bad Boy for Life” rapper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
The investigations in Coedpoeth come as another field on the edge of the nearby village of Minera has seen dozens of lorries depositing materials, which one local councillor described as "reeking of diesel".
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Researchers around the world have explored several possible solutions, including different dielectric materials, molecular seed layers, and alternative methods for depositing oxides.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
Again he glances this way, that way, and then his hand darts into the hole, depositing the paper.
From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech
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