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.
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 sperm whale was also listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—
Saleen Martin, USA Today, 6 May 2025
The frenzied pace increased and the Knicks found themselves in a track meet that left them winded by game seven with a roster depleted by injuries.
—Tom Rende, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
An effective security and defense policy depends on a shared sense of political community, which a successive string of crises—including the eurozone financial crisis, Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine—has depleted.
—Sophia Besch, Foreign Affairs, 5 May 2025
Hyacinth bulbs will produce flowers only 3 to 4 years before they are depleted.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deplete
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Saleen Martin, USA Today, 6 May 2025
The frenzied pace increased and the Knicks found themselves in a track meet that left them winded by game seven with a roster depleted by injuries.
—Tom Rende, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
An effective security and defense policy depends on a shared sense of political community, which a successive string of crises—including the eurozone financial crisis, Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine—has depleted.
—Sophia Besch, Foreign Affairs, 5 May 2025
Hyacinth bulbs will produce flowers only 3 to 4 years before they are depleted.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deplete
Cite this Entry
“Deplete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deplete. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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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