1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

depletion

noun

as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened the kind of catastrophic illness that can make a sizable depletion in a family's savings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 depletion Social Security faces trust fund depletion dates projected for the next decade that would trigger across-the-board benefit cuts unless lawmakers act sooner. — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026 Other research based on the satellite data has shown that large areas of the world are getting drier and losing fresh water, and the Central Valley is one of the regions where depletion is happening the fastest. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026 Clear debris, including sticks and sawdust, after tree removal to prevent lawn hazards and nutrient depletion. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2026 But sulfur dioxide can have negative impacts, including contributing to acid rain and ozone layer depletion. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026 The probe itself was prompted by earlier media reports covering the rapid depletion of some of the country's most advanced munitions several weeks into the Iran war, stirring widespread concerns about its readiness for any potential conflict ahead. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026 Venezuela’s depletion rate has been falling rapidly since 2007. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 The area is also home to large-scale industrial agriculture, with the resulting effluents triggering oxygen depletion and massive fish death annually. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026 In early April 2023, a report in The New York Times indicated that Ukraine’s S-300s and Buk systems, which then made up 89 percent of Ukraine’s air defense against Russian warplanes and bombers, were within a month of depletion. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depletion
  1. decrease
  2. reduction
  3. decline
  4. drop
  5. dent
Noun
  • With a decrease in revenue, some or all of these services will be cut back.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The district reported decreases in the number of students who are low-income, English language learners or in temporary living situations.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of decrease
Noun
  • The successor stadium is significantly larger—by over a half-a-million square feet—than what existed before while accommodating only 35,000 fans, a 26% reduction from the old stadium and, by far, the smallest capacity in the Big Ten.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • According to a district webpage, the bulk of the reduction plan will be implemented this school year.
    — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduction
Noun
  • That was a sharp decline from the previous few years, when more than 100,000 people died of drug overdoses.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
  • But the new report, which also presents trends over the past decade, shows a decline in suicidal thinking and behaviors, which initially showed up in the 2023 YRBS data.
    — Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of decline
Noun
  • Citibank attributed Wednesday's more than 6% drop to Mercari's announcement of the Pokémon card listing restrictions.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Atomic energy, the piece noted, held enough power in a drop of water to run 500 locomotives for an hour.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of drop
Noun
  • Photos show two apparent bullet holes in the blue Toyota Corolla’s back passenger window, plus a big dent in the front passenger door.
    — Peter Weber, TheWeek, 21 Sep. 2026
  • When shopping for apples, choose fruits that are firm and free from bruises and dents.
    — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dent

Browse Nearby Words

depleting
depletion
depletions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depletion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depletion. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All