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 depleted of other energy sources, the brains of marathon runners consume their own myelin. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 The trust fund is slated to be depleted partly due to the wave of baby boomer retirements and an aging U.S. population, which means its reserves are drawing down because spending is outpacing income. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 18 June 2025 Alternative Option: Plug-In Hybrids (PHEVs) Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles combine electric-only driving (typically 20–50 miles) with a gasoline engine that activates when the battery is depleted. Josh Max, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 The integration of generative AI into their search engine models is depleting organic traffic to media sites worldwide. Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 13 June 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
  • Using the current policy baseline, the CBO found that the legislation would reduce the deficit by $508 billion.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 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
  • The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025
  • The top three contributors to hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Amos has led Aflac for 35 years and has spent more than five decades at the company his family founded.
    Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 30 June 2025
  • Her son died six days later, on Thanksgiving Day, after spending nearly a week in a coma.
    Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 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
  • In adaptation finance, this contradiction is sharp: while mitigation absorbs the majority of global climate capital, adaptation receives just 10%, and less than 17% of that reaches the local level.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 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

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Cite this Entry

“Deplete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deplete. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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