replenish

verb

re·​plen·​ish ri-ˈple-nish 

replenished; replenishing; replenishes

transitive verb

1

: to fill or build up again

replenish a supply of fuel

… London's population was continually being replenished with recruits from the countryside …

—Barbara A. Hanawalt

… most of her income will be used to replenish the family's almost-depleted savings.

—Louis Uchitelle

… the fields are rotated every three years with other crops … so that the soil can replenish itself and remain nitrogen rich.

—Eugenia Bone

Apparently, animals sleep to regulate body temperature, organize memories and replenish the immune system …

—Sandra Blakeslee

2

a

: to fill with persons or animals

… be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth …

—Genesis 1:28 (Authorized Version)

b

: to fill with inspiration or power : nourish

… the American mind should cease to replenish itself with the mighty wonders of Europe …

—Van Wyck Brooks

c

archaic : to supply fully : perfect

… his hive had so long been replenished with honey …

—William Wordsworth

… the most replenished villain in the world …

—William Shakespeare

replenishable

ri-ˈple-ni-shə-bəl 

adjective

replenisher noun

replenishment

ri-ˈple-nish-mənt 

noun

Examples of replenish in a Sentence

An efficient staff of workers replenished the trays of appetizers almost as quickly as guests emptied them.

He replenished his supply of wood in preparation for the winter.

Drink this—you need to replenish your fluids after your hike.

plants that replenish soil nutrients

Recent Examples on the Web

The Pentagon had already been grappling with mounting concerns over its weapon stockpiles and how quickly industry can replenish munitions, with the war with Iran dramatically exacerbating those concerns. —Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 May 2026

La Mer doubles down on replenishing algae extracts here, thanks to their signature Miracle Broth and Shaping Ferment formulas. —Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 8 May 2026

Even if ongoing negotiations lead to a de-escalation, the logistical backlog will take quarters to unwind, keeping energy prices structurally supported, to say nothing of the need to replenish strategic petroleum reserves; an important insurance policy as the world has now been painfully reminded. —Michael Khouw, CNBC, 6 May 2026

Tina Chakarian, who has overseen Armenia’s presence at the Biennale for years, said her team has tried to get ahead of that by locking in the essentials early and setting up a system that can be replenished as needed. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English replenyssen, replenisshen "to fill, provide (with food and drink), populate," borrowed from Anglo-French repleniss-, stem of replenir "to fill, make full, refill" (also continental Old French), from re- re- + -plenir, verbal derivative of plein "full," going back to Latin plēnus — more at full entry 1

Note: In French this verb is apparently derived independently from plenir "to fill" (see plenish), which is attested later and in a very restricted geographical area. In Middle French replenir competed unsuccessfully with remplir, which effectually replaced it in Modern French.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

replenish

verb

re·​plen·​ish ri-ˈplen-ish 

: to make full or complete once more

replenish a supply of fuel

replenisher noun

replenishment

-mənt 

noun