deplete
C1Formal (common in academic, business, technical, and environmental contexts)
Definition
Meaning
To reduce something in size, amount, or number significantly.
To exhaust or use up a resource, energy, or supply; to lessen the abundance of something essential.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a reduction to the point of deficiency or insufficiency. Often used with resources that are finite or vital, creating a negative connotation of loss or strain.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or grammatical usage. Slight preference in British English for 'deplete' in environmental/ecological contexts.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties—strongly negative, implying damaging or unsustainable consumption.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in business/financial contexts (e.g., depleting reserves).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] depletes [Object] (e.g., Farming depletes the soil.)[Object] is depleted of [Resource] (e.g., The region is depleted of minerals.)[Object] becomes depleted (e.g., Fish stocks became depleted.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(none directly with 'deplete'; concept appears in idioms like 'to run dry', 'to bleed dry')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to the reduction of financial reserves, inventory, or capital. (e.g., 'The project depleted the company's cash reserves.')
Academic
Common in environmental science, economics, and medicine. (e.g., 'The study shows how overfishing depletes marine biodiversity.')
Everyday
Used for energy, supplies, or patience. (e.g., 'The long journey depleted our energy.')
Technical
Used in chemistry (depleting ozone), ecology (depleting habitats), and medicine (depleting nutrients/immune cells).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Intensive farming can deplete the soil of nutrients.
- The unexpected costs have severely depleted our budget.
American English
- The drought is depleting the region's water reserves.
- That workout completely depleted my energy.
adverb
British English
- (None standard; 'depletingly' is extremely rare and not recommended)
American English
- (None standard; 'depletingly' is extremely rare and not recommended)
adjective
British English
- (Depleted) The depleted uranium was stored securely.
- (Depleting) The depleting fish stocks are a major concern.
American English
- (Depleted) She felt exhausted and emotionally depleted.
- (Depleting) The depleting ozone layer requires global action.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Don't play too long, you will deplete your phone battery.
- The long war depleted the country's money.
- Overfishing has dangerously depleted cod populations in the North Sea.
- The charity's funds were depleted after the major relief effort.
- The new policy risks depleting the strategic petroleum reserve during a non-critical period.
- Certain chemotherapy drugs work by depleting rapidly dividing cells.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a PLEa (PLE) of food that you completely EaT (ETE). You 'de-PLE-ETE' it, leaving it empty.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER (of resources) being EMPTIED.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'опустошать' (to devastate/empty emotionally/physically) for abstract resources. 'Deplete' is more precise for quantifiable resources like money or minerals. 'Истощать' is a closer equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for people (incorrect: 'The team was depleted.' Correct: 'The team's numbers were depleted.'). Confusing it with 'delete' (to remove completely, especially information). Overusing in informal contexts where 'use up' or 'run out of' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'deplete' used INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Overwhelmingly yes. It describes the reduction of something valuable or necessary (resources, energy, supplies), so the outcome is typically viewed as negative or problematic.
'Deplete' is stronger and more specific. It means to reduce by a large amount, often to a critically low level. You can 'reduce' spending by 5%, but you 'deplete' savings until they are almost gone.
Not directly. You cannot say 'The illness depleted him.' You can say 'The illness depleted his strength' or 'He was emotionally depleted.' The object of 'deplete' should be the resource, not the person possessing it.
The most common noun is 'depletion' (e.g., ozone depletion, resource depletion). 'Depletive' exists as a rare adjective.