deplete

de·plete

verb \di-ˈplēt\

de·plet·edde·plet·ing

Definition of DEPLETE

transitive verb

1

: to empty of a principal substance

2

: to lessen markedly in quantity, content, power, or value

— de·plet·able \-ˈplē-tə-bəl\ adjective

— de·plet·er \-ˈplē-tər\ noun

— de·ple·tion \-ˈplē-shən\ noun

— de·ple·tive \-ˈplē-tiv\ adjective

Examples of DEPLETE

1. Activities such as logging and mining deplete our natural resources.
2. We completely depleted our life savings when we bought our new house.

Origin of DEPLETE

Latin depletus, past participle of deplēre, from de- + plēre to fill — more at full

First Known Use: 1807

Related to DEPLETE

Synonyms: absorb, burn, consume, devour, drain, draw down, exhaust, expend, play out, spend, use up, run out of

Antonyms: renew, replace

Related Words: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, reduce; eat, use; bankrupt, clean (out), impoverish; cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, undermine, weaken; dry up, empty; blow, dissipate, fritter (away), guzzle, lavish, misspend, run through, squander, throw away, waste

Near Antonyms: augment, enlarge, increase; bolster, enforce, fortify, reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen; rebuild, repair, restore, revive; conserve, preserve, save

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Synonym Discussion of DEPLETE

deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt 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>. drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence <personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit>. exhaust stresses a complete emptying <her lecture exhausted the subject>. impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness <impoverished soil>. bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse <war had bankrupted the nation of resources>.

Rhymes with DEPLETE

accrete, aesthete, afreet, athlete, backbeat, backseat, backstreet, bedsheet, bench seat, big beat, bolete, box pleat, box seat, break beat, broadsheet, browbeat, buckwheat, bystreet, call sheet, car seat, cheat sheet, clipsheet, cloud street, cold feet, compete, compleat, complete, conceit, concrete, crabmeat, crib sheet, deadbeat, dead heat, dead meat, deceit, defeat, delete, discreet, discrete, disseat, downbeat, drop seat, drumbeat, dutch treat, effete, elite, en suite, entreat, escheat, excrete, facete, Fleet Street, fly sheet, forcemeat, foresheet, four-peat, gamete, groundsheet, hard wheat, heartbeat, heat-treat, helpmeet, hoofbeat, hot seat, house seat, ice sheet, ill-treat, jump seat, kick pleat, love seat, mainsheet, Main Street, maltreat, mesquite, mincemeat, mistreat, offbeat, Ossete, petite, pink sheet, preheat, rap sheet, receipt, recheat, red heat, red meat, red wheat, regreet, repeat, replete, retreat, scratch sheet, secrete, side street, slip-sheet, soft wheat, spreadsheet, stand treat, swap meet, sweetmeat, tear sheet, terete, three-peat, through street, time sheet, unmeet, unseat, upbeat, vegete, volkslied, white heat