deplete

American  

[dih-pleet] / dɪˈplit /

verb (used with object)

depletes, present (3rd person singular) depleted, past participle, past depleting present participle

1. 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

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deplete British  

/ dɪˈpliːt /

verb

1. to use up (supplies, money, energy, etc); reduce or exhaust

2. to empty entirely or partially

3. med to empty or reduce the fluid contents of (an organ or vessel)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• depletion
  noun
• nondepletion
  noun
• predepletion
  noun
• predeplete
  verb (used with object)
• depletable
  adjective
• depletive
  adjective
• depletory
  adjective
• nondepletable
  adjective
• nondepletive
  adjective
• nondepletory
  adjective
• undepleted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• depleting
  present
• depleted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• deplete
  simple
• depletes
  simple
• have depleted
  perfect
• has depleted
  perfect
• am depleting
  progressive
• are depleting
  progressive
• is depleting
  progressive
• have been depleting
  perfect progressive
• has been depleting
  perfect progressive

Past

• depleted
  simple
• had depleted
  perfect
• was depleting
  progressive
• were depleting
  progressive
• had been depleting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will deplete
  simple
• will have depleted
  perfect
• will be depleting
  progressive
• will have been depleting
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deplete depletes depleted depleting

If they both needed care at the same time, that would be well over budget and deplete their funds quickly.

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

“To see NeeDoh come to this moment is spectacular, but it could also quickly deplete a brand we’ve been nurturing for a decade.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 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

The Pentagon is pushing automakers to help modernize and replenish military hardware depleted by wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

For long-term investors, tailwinds for aerospace and defense contractors include the need for the U.S. to replenish various stockpiles depleted during the conflict with Iran.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

Latino entrepreneurs who participated in focus groups and surveys described fewer customers, reduced operating hours, canceled orders, staffing disruptions, depleted savings and accumulated debt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

Because metal sulfide minerals dug up during mining can take hundreds to thousands of years to fully react with surface water, they will keep generating emissions long after a mine's reserves are depleted.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Then I ventured into the twisted terrain of the right half, guiding Pac-Man through the pixelated on-screen refuse of the game’s depleted memory.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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

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

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 mine’s then-owner said it would be “economic folly” to keep depleting the ore at such low prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

I feel like my energy is rapidly depleting.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Related Words

• bankrupt
• decrease
• diminish
• drain
• empty
• expend
• impoverish
• lessen
• reduce
• sap
• squander
• undermine
• use up
• weaken