1
as in draining
to make complete use of
miners depleted the vein of copper ore after only a few months
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reducing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
disease and battlefield casualties had depleted troop strength to dangerously low levels
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of depleting
With depleting foreign exchange reserves, some businesses have been forced to close as entrepreneurs and farmers turn to the black market in search of hard currency.
—
Charles Pensulo, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
First, McDonald and Sydney Colson suffered season-ending injuries in the same game against Phoenix, completely depleting Indiana’s point guard depth.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Trump’s 2024 reëlection PAC received ten million dollars from the multinational conglomerate British American Tobacco, which farms an especially polluting, soil-depleting, and pesticide-intensive crop, and which has been sued for profiting from child labor.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
Over time, technology addiction rewires the brain to expect instant gratification, depleting the brain’s cognitive patience and threshold for tolerating frustration in the process.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
In a series of experiments reported Wednesday in the journal Nature, researchers at Harvard and Rush universities found that depleting lithium in the diet of normal mice caused their brains to develop inflammation and changes associated with accelerated aging.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
That combination would increase your odds of depleting the portfolio within 30 years by six times compared with someone who has a first-year positive return, according to a 2022 Morningstar report.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
Iran’s provision of drones and medium-range ballistic missiles in return for Russian intelligence and fighter aircraft allowed Russia to hammer Ukraine’s military and civilian infrastructure without depleting its stocks of other weapons and weakening its defenses against NATO.
—Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2025
Building a startup—the ultimate symbol of perseverance—requires founders to self-fund in the early stages, depleting savings and sometimes taking on personal debt, all before securing external investment.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Charles Pensulo, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
First, McDonald and Sydney Colson suffered season-ending injuries in the same game against Phoenix, completely depleting Indiana’s point guard depth.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Trump’s 2024 reëlection PAC received ten million dollars from the multinational conglomerate British American Tobacco, which farms an especially polluting, soil-depleting, and pesticide-intensive crop, and which has been sued for profiting from child labor.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
Over time, technology addiction rewires the brain to expect instant gratification, depleting the brain’s cognitive patience and threshold for tolerating frustration in the process.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
In a series of experiments reported Wednesday in the journal Nature, researchers at Harvard and Rush universities found that depleting lithium in the diet of normal mice caused their brains to develop inflammation and changes associated with accelerated aging.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
That combination would increase your odds of depleting the portfolio within 30 years by six times compared with someone who has a first-year positive return, according to a 2022 Morningstar report.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
Iran’s provision of drones and medium-range ballistic missiles in return for Russian intelligence and fighter aircraft allowed Russia to hammer Ukraine’s military and civilian infrastructure without depleting its stocks of other weapons and weakening its defenses against NATO.
—Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2025
Building a startup—the ultimate symbol of perseverance—requires founders to self-fund in the early stages, depleting savings and sometimes taking on personal debt, all before securing external investment.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depleting
Verb
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The bowls have wavy, scalloped edges that give it an artisanal look as well as holds and cutouts for draining any lingering water.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Use fertile, moist, slightly acidic soil that’s well-draining, and amend it with compost or other organic matter.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The French prime minister was widely expected to lose the motion after failing to win support from political rivals on both the right and left for 2026 budget plans aimed at reducing the country's yawning budget deficit.—
Ganesh Rao,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
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At Tufts University, scientists have developed a new drug that aims to boost weight loss while also reducing the nausea, muscle loss and weight regain associated with popular GLP-1 medications.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The North Korean government is increasingly executing civilians, including people found to be consuming unapproved foreign media, according to a report from the United Nations Human Rights Office.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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But some nutrition scientists warn that thanks to social media trends, many people may be consuming too much protein.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Coaxing summer-flowering annuals to flower in fall is hit and miss as nutrient availability is dwindling and hours of daylight are decreasing.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Sep. 2025
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The central bank is expected to start decreasing rates at its meeting next week after being on pause since December.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even after spending £420m, Liverpool are arguably a little light in a couple of areas.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Enyedi shifts between the three storylines at will, sometimes spending several minutes in one only to cut to another for a few seconds and then over to the third.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For more than a century, the region has been caught in a thrilling but exhausting economic romance.—
Reid Rasner,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Jones remained on Ohio's death row for decades, exhausting most of his appeals, until Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Wende Cross overturned his murder conviction, freed him from prison and granted him a new trial two years ago.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The drop in profit margins suggests businesses are absorbing higher costs driven by tariffs in their bottom lines.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
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Aveda Hand Relief Moisturizing Crème gets it right with a rich yet fast-absorbing formula that pairs glycerin and aloe vera for lasting hydration, while exfoliating lactic acid gently smooths rough patches.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The candle has four slow-burning wicks, is filled with a paraffin and soy wax blend, and burns for up to 22 hours.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
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The wildfire has been burning on federal land managed by the United States Forest Service.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Depleting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depleting. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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