deplete

USAGE SUMMARY

'deplete' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to mean reduce in amount, such as when a natural resource is consumed or an activity is expended. For example, "The drought has severely depleted the water supply of the town."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Privately, some officials fear that an enhanced search-and-rescue operation in the Mediterranean will not just deplete threadbare budgets, but act as a "pull factor" that will encourage and facilitate record levels of migrant arrivals on to a continent that has made it clear it wants no more boat people.

The Guardian

The core strategy will be to intentionally focus growth on sectors of the economy that provide local jobs but don't deplete natural assets or the social fabric of the state – sectors like arts and culture, biotechnology, clean energy, education, financial services, food and forest products, and healthcare.

The Guardian

There are a lot of crates, a lot of strange machines, a lot of explosive pods that deplete my ammo or shatter inconveniently mid-battle.

The Guardian - Tech

As we deplete our ability to denote and figure particular aspects of our places, so our competence for understanding and imagining possible relationships with non-human nature is correspondingly depleted.

The Guardian - Books

Standard Chartered's advisory role gives it an influential voice in the project, which opponents say will deplete the world's carbon budget, which is the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted while limiting the global temperature rise to an agreed target of 2°C.

The Guardian - Business

Charities and endowments tend to spend 4% of their portfolios each year; if their real return is only 3%, they will steadily deplete their spending power.The sponsors of American corporate-pension plans still expect 7.6% nominal returns from their portfolios, and fund their schemes accordingly.

The Economist

This would quickly deplete the supply of jobs and stem the flow of migrants.

The Economist

They built only on high ground, mostly left the river to its own devices, and relied on the wetlands as a natural barrier to buffer and deplete any incoming hurricanes.

The Economist

As much as 60-70% of mostly free rural electricity is used to power hundreds of millions of inefficient pumps, which are being used to deplete India's already scarce groundwater.

The Economist

So having too many Clostridia, producing too many phenols, will deplete the body's reserves of sulphur.

The Economist

The average Japanese has more human capital than anyone else.Japan is also one of only three countries in the report that did not deplete their natural capital between 1990 and 2008.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "deplete", consider specifying what is being depleted to provide context and clarity. For example, instead of saying "resources were depleted", say "natural resources were depleted".

Common error

Avoid using "deplete" when a simple reduction is meant. "Deplete" implies a significant, often detrimental, reduction to near exhaustion. Use words like "reduce" or "decrease" for minor reductions.

Linguistic Context

Deplete functions primarily as a transitive verb. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage indicating an action performed upon an object, causing a reduction or exhaustion of it. For example, 'to deplete resources' shows the action of depleting affecting the resources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

93%

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Deplete is a verb used to describe the action of reducing something significantly, often to near exhaustion. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in News & Media. While it can be used in various contexts, including encyclopedias and scientific writing, it's crucial to ensure the context aligns with its meaning of substantial reduction rather than a minor decrease. Ludwig examples effectively illustrate the adverse consequences associated with the act of depletion, and while many alternative words exist, carefully consider their subtle differences in meaning to maintain accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exhaust resources

Specifically refers to using up available resources completely.

exhaust

Similar in meaning, but often used to describe the complete consumption of something, sometimes to the point of uselessness.

use up

A simple and direct way to express the complete consumption of something.

consume

Implies using something up, often gradually and completely.

drain

Suggests a gradual emptying or withdrawal of something, such as resources or energy.

run down

Implies a gradual decrease in power, health, or resources.

diminish

Indicates a reduction in size, extent, or importance.

reduce

A general term for making something smaller or less.

sap

Refers to gradually weakening or depleting someone's energy or vitality.

empty

To remove all contents from something.

FAQs

How to use "deplete" in a sentence?

Use "deplete" to indicate the reduction of something, like "The overuse of water can "deplete the water supply"".

What can I say instead of "deplete"?

You can use alternatives like "exhaust", "consume", or "drain" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "deplete" or "decrease"?

"Deplete" suggests a near-complete reduction, while "decrease" implies a smaller reduction. Use "deplete" when the resource is significantly reduced.

What's the difference between "deplete" and "exhaust"?

"Deplete" indicates a reduction in quantity, while "exhaust" suggests using something up entirely, potentially to the point of uselessness.