as in drained
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1
as in exhausted
to make complete use of
miners depleted the vein of copper ore after only a few months
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reduced
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
disease and battlefield casualties had depleted troop strength to dangerously low levels
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Recent Examples of depleted
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
New secondary coach Ryan Smith coached Thompson with the Arizona Cardinals for the last three seasons, leading to a strong co-sign on the defensive staff to fill a hole on a depleted defense from 2025.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Mar. 2026
Countries such as Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have intercepted hundreds of missiles and drones in recent days – raising questions about how long their air defenses can keep up, and how many more weapons remain in Iran’s depleted arsenal.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
Golden State played without Stephen Curry, sidelined by a right knee injury, and had a depleted roster against Los Angeles.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Crocker-Johnson, who also has the most rebounds for the depleted Gophers, is unlikely to recover in time to play again this season with the team's preference to be cautious with the injury, Medved told reporters.
—CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
Toss some spinach or kale into your burrito to boost your iron, which plays a key role in postpartum recovery, as depleted iron stores can lead to fatigue and low mood.
—Ashia Aubourg, Outside, 19 Feb. 2026
The department’s depleted police ranks had dropped from 920 officers in 2019 to an abysmal 560 in 2024.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 13 Feb. 2026
That’s important because if glycogen levels become depleted, then the brain and body go into survival mode.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2026
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Despite its reliance on natural water sources, a brutal five-year drought has depleted its rivers and aquifers, leaving the nation on the brink of a catastrophic water crisis.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026
The upcoming EREVs, meanwhile, drive like all-electric vehicles until an engine kicks in and works as a generator to power the vehicle’s electric motors when the vehicle’s battery is depleted.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Currently, the strategic reserve has been markedly depleted by former President Joe Biden in the wake of a price spike stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
—Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Back in June 2025, the program's trustees estimated the fund would be depleted in 2033.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Unlike many Gulf states that rely heavily on desalination, Iran still gets most of its water from rivers, reservoirs and depleted underground aquifers.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Unlike many gulf states that rely heavily on desalination, Iran still gets most of its water from rivers, reservoirs and depleted underground aquifers.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
In just this latest example, the people of Lakewood are stuck having to come up with a huge sum of cash that will leave services crippled, rainy day funds depleted, and an immediate future of uncertainty and apprehension, to pay off these billion-dollar corporations.
—Sean Camacho, Denver Post, 4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
European gas prices are also up 30%, leaving several countries in a vulnerable position due to depleted reserves, Bloomberg reported.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
New secondary coach Ryan Smith coached Thompson with the Arizona Cardinals for the last three seasons, leading to a strong co-sign on the defensive staff to fill a hole on a depleted defense from 2025.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Mar. 2026
Countries such as Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have intercepted hundreds of missiles and drones in recent days – raising questions about how long their air defenses can keep up, and how many more weapons remain in Iran’s depleted arsenal.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
Golden State played without Stephen Curry, sidelined by a right knee injury, and had a depleted roster against Los Angeles.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Crocker-Johnson, who also has the most rebounds for the depleted Gophers, is unlikely to recover in time to play again this season with the team's preference to be cautious with the injury, Medved told reporters.
—CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
Toss some spinach or kale into your burrito to boost your iron, which plays a key role in postpartum recovery, as depleted iron stores can lead to fatigue and low mood.
—Ashia Aubourg, Outside, 19 Feb. 2026
The department’s depleted police ranks had dropped from 920 officers in 2019 to an abysmal 560 in 2024.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 13 Feb. 2026
That’s important because if glycogen levels become depleted, then the brain and body go into survival mode.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
The group of available tight end on the free-agent market was almost immediately depleted when players like Cade Otton and Charlie Kolar agreed to terms on Monday.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Despite its reliance on natural water sources, a brutal five-year drought has depleted its rivers and aquifers, leaving the nation on the brink of a catastrophic water crisis.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026
The upcoming EREVs, meanwhile, drive like all-electric vehicles until an engine kicks in and works as a generator to power the vehicle’s electric motors when the vehicle’s battery is depleted.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Currently, the strategic reserve has been markedly depleted by former President Joe Biden in the wake of a price spike stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
—Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Back in June 2025, the program's trustees estimated the fund would be depleted in 2033.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Unlike many Gulf states that rely heavily on desalination, Iran still gets most of its water from rivers, reservoirs and depleted underground aquifers.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Unlike many gulf states that rely heavily on desalination, Iran still gets most of its water from rivers, reservoirs and depleted underground aquifers.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
In just this latest example, the people of Lakewood are stuck having to come up with a huge sum of cash that will leave services crippled, rainy day funds depleted, and an immediate future of uncertainty and apprehension, to pay off these billion-dollar corporations.
—Sean Camacho, Denver Post, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depleted
Adjective
-
Increase heat to medium, add drained pasta; cook, stirring constantly, until a creamy sauce forms and clings to pasta, about 2 minutes.—
Elizabeth Mervosh,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
What starts as small talk always ends up in heated debates that leave me feeling drained and resentful.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Only when all reasonable remedies have been exhausted should litigation be considered.—
Awilda Esteras,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Barely a minute or two ticked away at Galen Center last month,but USC freshman Alijah Arenas already was exhausted.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Halsey said the women’s identities were reduced to billboard images during the investigation of their deaths.—
Jane Horowitz,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Second, the swift realignment of NASA Goddard’s priorities with the President’s budget request for the 2026 fiscal year — a realignment that occurred when the budget was still only a request — reduced the availability of mission formulation and mission engineering personnel to work on AXIS.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For Mejia, the ruling closes a chapter that consumed more than half her life.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Amid Iranian threats on vessels moving through the strait, the lack of movement from oil tankers over the weekend sent energy markets in a fury, as 20 percent of all oil consumed worldwide passes through the conduit.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Drone strikes have decreased by 83%.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Though on Saturday, MDFR said smoke in the area had greatly decreased compared to Thursday and Friday.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
With this enfeebled mind my only recourse is poetry.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Chargers guards and center Bradley Bozeman, a trio whose job was made more difficult by subpar play by both offensive tackles, looked enfeebled against Indianapolis Colt tackle DeForest Buckner.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Nick Ramsden, a farmer from Pretoria, South Africa, spent a long Thursday in July driving an eighteen-wheeler along a three-mile loop at the Nelson-King Farms, in rural Mississippi.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The charges come a day after the attack by Jalloh, who had previously spent eight years in prison for attempting to aid the Islamic State group.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Day, a bridge engineer who moved to the area from England in 1998, has absorbed the part that the bridge played in his in-laws’ history.—
Julia Buckley,
CNN Money,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Some businesses absorbed the tariffs, at least initially, cutting into margins to avoid sudden price hikes.—
Sara Albrecht,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Depleted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depleted. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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