depleted; depleting; depletes
1
: to empty of a principal substance
The lake was depleted of water.
depleting the country of its natural resources
2
: to lessen markedly in quantity, content, power, or value
deplete our life savings
their depleted resources
Did you know?
The de- prefix often means "do the opposite of", so deplete means the opposite of "fill". Thus, for example, a kitchen's food supplies can be rapidly depleted by hungry teenagers. But deplete often suggests something more serious. Desertions can deplete an army; layoffs can deplete an office staff; and too much time in bed can rapidly deplete your muscular strength.
Synonyms
Examples of deplete in a Sentence
Activities such as logging and mining deplete our natural resources.
We completely depleted our life savings when we bought our new house.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Lakers’ already depleted frontcourt took another hit with their latest injury.
—
Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 13 Nov. 2024
Risdon Beazley was acquired by Smit Tak, a Dutch rival, and the fleet was gradually depleted.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Why The Bucks May Be Stuck The Bucks swung two blockbuster trades in the past few years—first for Jrue Holiday in 2020, then Lillard last summer—that left them depleted of draft assets.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
But those teams were either depleted with injuries or at a significant talent deficit.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deplete 
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Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 13 Nov. 2024
Risdon Beazley was acquired by Smit Tak, a Dutch rival, and the fleet was gradually depleted.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Why The Bucks May Be Stuck The Bucks swung two blockbuster trades in the past few years—first for Jrue Holiday in 2020, then Lillard last summer—that left them depleted of draft assets.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
But those teams were either depleted with injuries or at a significant talent deficit.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deplete
Dictionary Entries Near deplete
Cite this Entry
“Deplete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deplete. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deplete
verb
de·plete
di-ˈplēt 
depleted; depleting
: to reduce in amount by using up : exhaust especially of strength or resources
soil depleted of minerals
a depleted treasury
Medical Definition
deplete
transitive verb
de·plete
di-ˈplēt
depleted; depleting
: to empty (as the blood vessels) of a principal substance
a body depleted by excessive blood loss
tissues depleted of vitamins
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