deplete

verb de·plete \di-ˈplēt\

: to use most or all of (something important) : to greatly reduce the amount of (something)

de·plet·edde·plet·ing

Full Definition of DEPLETE

transitive verb

: to empty of a principal substance

: 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

See deplete defined for English-language learners

See deplete defined for kids

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

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

DEPLETION Defined for Kids

deplete

verb de·plete \di-ˈplēt\

de·plet·edde·plet·ing

Definition of DEPLETE for Kids

: to reduce in amount by using up <The soil was depleted of minerals.>

Word Root of DEPLETE

The Latin word plēre, meaning “to fill,” gives us the root ple. Words from the Latin plēre have something to do with filling or being full. Anything replete with something is full of that particular thing or quality. Something complete is totally full and finished. To deplete is to lessen the amount of something that was once full. A supplement is something that fills in something that is missing.

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