Word
deplete
Phoneticsde·plete, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈpɫit/
UK/dɪplˈiːt/
Definition
v. to use up most or all of something so little is left. You use it for things like money, energy, or natural resources.
v. to reduce the stock or contents of something through use or removal, often to exhaustion.
Examples
“We must not deplete our savings in one month.”
“Farmers rotate crops to avoid depleting nutrients in the soil.”
“Decades of overfishing continue to deplete tuna stocks faster than marine reserves can replenish them.”
Examples
simple
“We must not deplete our savings in one month.”
contextual
“Farmers rotate crops to avoid depleting nutrients in the soil.”
complex
“Decades of overfishing continue to deplete tuna stocks faster than marine reserves can replenish them.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “deplete” in context.
Verb
01. conflict depletes
“Ongoing conflict depletes national budgets and destroys infrastructure.”
noun + verb
02. deplete energy
“Night shifts can deplete energy and weaken concentration.”
verb + noun
03. deplete reserve
“The long winter depleted fuel reserves across the country.”
verb + noun
04. deplete resource
“Overconsumption continues to deplete natural resources worldwide.”
verb + noun
05. deplete savings
“Medical bills quickly depleted their savings.”
verb + noun
06. drought depletes
“Prolonged drought depletes reservoirs and threatens crops.”
noun + verb
Noun
07. deplete capital
“Repeated losses gradually depleted the company's capital.”
verb + noun
08. deplete ozone
“CFC emissions were found to deplete ozone at an alarming rate.”
verb + noun
09. deplete soil
“Intensive monoculture will deplete soil within a few seasons.”
verb + noun
10. completely deplete personal savings
“The failed venture completely depleted their personal savings.”
11. deplete soil of nutrients
“Monoculture farming depletes soil of nutrients within a few seasons.”
12. deplete the ozone layer
“Scientists warned that CFCs continue to deplete the ozone layer.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“The idea was to encourage hearty white Protestants to settle in the American territories without unduly depleting the population of England.” “Oil companies will continue to deplete storage tanks to meet peak summer demand.” “When we have depleted the glycogen stores, the body switches from glucose to ketones, which are made in the liver from fatty acids.” “And sealing the fruit in a confined space and letting it deplete its oxygen supply will also slow things down, since oxygen is necessary for the reactions to proceed.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dēplētus (“empty”), from depleō. First attested in 1716; originally a medical term.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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