deplete
dih-PLEET
/dɪˈpliːt/
To diminish or empty the supply, quantity, or number of something.
Implies a progressive reduction until little or nothing remains.
The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, 'plere' meant to fill (the source of 'plenty'). Adding the reversal prefix 'de-' yielded 'deplere', literally 'to un-fill' or empty a bucket. Over centuries, English adopted the term to describe the gradual drawing down of stockpiles, aquifers, and energy.
Word relationships
- drain: Drain emphasizes the outward flow of a liquid or energy, whereas deplete emphasizes the resulting emptiness.
- exhaust: Exhaust implies total consumption leaving zero remainder, while deplete describes the process of running down.
- replenish: Replenish means to build back up or make full again.
- restore: Restore means to return something to its original healthy condition.
Commonly confused with
- deplore: Deplore means to express strong disapproval or grief, whereas deplete means to reduce a quantity.
Word family
- depletion (noun): The act or state of emptying out resources.
- depleted (adjective): Severely reduced in quantity or strength.
Collocations
- deplete resources
- deplete reserves
- deplete soil nutrients
- rapidly deplete
Example sentences
- "Prolonged droughts continue to deplete the regional groundwater supply." Environmental science
- "Intense farming methods threaten to deplete the natural fertility of the soil." Historical literature
Memory hook
Think of 'de-pleat': un-folding a pleated bag until everything inside falls out and leaves it empty. De-plete = De-fill.
When not to use
Do not use for sudden destruction; it refers to a gradual emptying process.
Fun facts
- 'Depleted uranium' is a real byproduct of nuclear enrichment, named because its key radioactive isotope has been drawn down.
Related words
Explore more words
depletion, deteriorate, impoverished, reduce, curtail, depopulation
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