deplete

Definition of depletenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deplete distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of deplete are bankrupt, drain, exhaust, and impoverish. While all these words mean "to deprive of something essential to existence or potency," deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function.

depleting our natural resources

When is bankrupt a more appropriate choice than deplete?

Although the words bankrupt and deplete have much in common, bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse.

war had bankrupted the nation of resources

When is it sensible to use drain instead of deplete?

The synonyms drain and deplete are sometimes interchangeable, but drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence.

personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit

When can exhaust be used instead of deplete?

In some situations, the words exhaust and deplete are roughly equivalent. However, exhaust stresses a complete emptying.

her lecture exhausted the subject

In what contexts can impoverish take the place of deplete?

While in some cases nearly identical to deplete, impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness.

impoverished soil

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deplete With its dynamic freshman depleted from flu and another starter, Chad Baker-Mazara, still out due to injury, USC struggled to find a consistent source of offense. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026 Under those conditions, tank heaters deplete quickly and tankless units must ramp output aggressively to maintain comfort. New Atlas, 19 Feb. 2026 Autonomous vehicles will replace transportation jobs, just as unsupervised robotics would deplete the manufacturing industry’s need for human workers. Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026 The debate over Social Security is dominated by its shrinking trust fund, which is expected to be depleted in seven years. Kathryn Anne Edwards, Twin Cities, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deplete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deplete
Verb
  • CEOs are struggling to switch off, Ko says, and making high-stakes decisions while their mental batteries are drained.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 20 Feb. 2026
  • This was an adaptation of the 1906 novel about the meatpacking industry by Upton Sinclair; famously, Lookingglass actors hung by their heels, depicting the draining carcasses of the Chicago Stockyards.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But in the long run, that doesn’t do anything to dismantle networks of criminality or reduce the size of their operations.
    Angélica Durán-Martínez, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Others have sought to use cloud seeding to disperse fog at airports, tackle air pollution, reduce hail damage or even to manipulate the weather for major events, such as the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But food science specialists say the coatings are safe to consume and are applied in very small amounts, according to Donald Schwan, department chair, distinguished professor, and extension specialist in food science at Rutgers University.
    Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
  • If power is lost for less than two hours, most perishable food should be safe to consume.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Some research has linked magnesium to decreased depression and anxiety, both of which can affect sleep.
    Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The deliberate, repetitive action is found to help lower blood pressure, decrease symptoms of depression and even protect aging brains from cognitive decline.
    Alana Wise, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This has meant the show has spent more time with the very relatable Dunk and his precocious charge Egg.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Grohl said the band spent months discussing their next steps before making the decision.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This is particularly important when air-drying laundry, taking a shower, cooking, or cleaning, and it should be done even in kitchens and bathrooms with ventilation systems that exhaust directly to the outdoors.
    Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Sources stressed the request for help from Mexico was to exhaust all options but there is not any clear evidence suggesting either Guthrie or the kidnappers are there.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This liquid encapsulates the power of glutathione in teeny tiny nano liposomes—less than 100nm—which the brand says is even more easily absorbed by your body.
    Brianna Peters, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2026
  • The company raised prices across its product lines and cut expenses out of its marketing budget to absorb some of the tariff costs, but did not implement any layoffs, Stephen Woldenberg said.
    Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The violence captured on cellphone videos and shared around the globe – buses burning, gas stations attacked, military helicopters flying overhead – wasn’t just happening in remote rural towns long plagued by drug violence.
    Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Court documents reveal extensive injuries including ligature marks, burn marks, broken bones and deformity sustained before Crystal Marie Falcon’s death on February 13.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Deplete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deplete. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

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