deplete

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 When Israel depleted its supplies, the U.S. had to step in, firing a year’s production run of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missiles to intercept Iran’s projectiles. Nabih Bulos foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025 Most ladybugs sold are harvested by vacuum from wild populations, usually many states away, depleting their numbers. Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 July 2025 That would be on top of HUD staffing cuts and resignations that have depleted the agency under Trump. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 4 July 2025 The support was promised under the Biden administration, part of a stream of weapons that have flowed to Kyiv since Moscow launched its invasion, but a Pentagon review found that US reserves were depleting. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for deplete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deplete
Verb
  • The Army Corps’ solution was to take a meandering 103-mile river that snaked through one of the wildest areas in the state, drain it, and carve it into a ruler-straight, 56-mile 30-foot-deep canal dubbed the C-38 — not exactly fodder for the tourism board.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2025
  • In such situations, when a client has the resources and the inclination to go round after round, small municipalities have to decide whether to settle or stand on principle, draining their budget.
    Andrew Rice, Curbed, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • To reduce background noise when making phone calls or joining in with a video meeting, Headphone (1) has a 4-microphone ENC system that’s backed up by AI.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • As part of a long push to dig itself out of a financial hole triggered by the Covid pandemic, AMC Entertainment announced a multi-pronged agreement with creditors and lenders to reduce its leverage and take out near-term maturities.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Close to 18% of people who regularly eat fruits reported better sleep, along with 12% of people who consume a lot of vegetables, and 13% of people who drink herbal tea.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 1 July 2025
  • The company has consistently consumed cash while struggling to scale production within the competitive semiconductor landscape.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Following Monday's trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 220 shares of GS, decreasing its weighting to about 4.35% from about 4.75%.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 7 July 2025
  • Revenue has remained relatively stagnant, decreasing slightly from $153 million to $152 million over the past year.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • Irby, 35, is a manager for corporate security and intelligence at FIS Global and spent more than 15 years in corporate security.
    Michael R. Wickline, Arkansas Online, 30 June 2025
  • Start by auditing your calendar and asking yourself: How much of your week is spent on reactive, tactical work?
    Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Unlike many other raptors that rely on sudden ambush attacks, the gyrfalcon excels at long chases across tundra and icy terrain, often locking onto prey and keeping pursuit until the target is exhausted.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.
    Emily Trainham, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Different molecules absorb light in different ways, and by analysing these absorption patterns – called spectra – scientists infer what chemicals are likely to be present.
    Oliver Swainston, Space.com, 28 June 2025
  • Economists at JPMorgan have argued that many companies are absorbing the cost of the tariffs, for now.
    Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.
    Carole Horst, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
  • The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.
    Neeti Mehra, Treehugger, 13 Sep. 2023

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deplete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deplete. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on deplete

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!