- To deplete is defined as to diminish or use up the supply of something.
An example of deplete is when you drive around and use up your supply of gas.
Driving will deplete the contents of your gas tank.
transitive verbdepleted, depleting
- to make less by gradually using up (resources, funds, strength, etc.)
- to use up gradually the resources, strength, etc. of
- to empty wholly or partly
Origin of deplete; from Classical Latin depletus, past participle of deplere, to empty ; from de-, from + plere, to fill: see full
transitive verbde·plet·ed, de·plet·ing, de·pletes
- To consume or reduce to a very low amount; use up: drought that depleted the stores of grain.
- To remove the contents or important elements of; empty out or exhaust: overfishing that depleted the lake of trout; farming practices that depleted the soil of nutrients.
Origin of depleteLatin dēplēre, dēplēt-, to empty : dē-, de- + plēre, to fill; see pel&schwa;-1 in Indo-European roots.
(third-person singular simple present depletes, present participle depleting, simple past and past participle depleted)
- To empty or unload, as the vessels of the human system, by bloodletting or by medicine.
- To reduce by destroying or consuming the vital powers of; to exhaust, as a country of its strength or resources, a treasury of money, etc.
From Latin dēplētus (“empty”)
deplete - Legal Definition