depleting

verb

present participle of deplete
1
as in draining
to make complete use of miners depleted the vein of copper ore after only a few months

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reducing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent disease and battlefield casualties had depleted troop strength to dangerously low levels

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of depleting Authorities were wary of depleting China’s supply and someday becoming dependent on imports, as the country is for oil and gas. — Gloria Xiong, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Persistent overuse combined with a record-dry winter and rising temperatures have been depleting both Lake Powell and Lake Mead. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 As of now, many have feared the chips instead look like a rapidly depreciating, and thus depleting, pile of graphics processors that will need more and more capital to finance. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026 That included the risk of dangerously depleting the number of defensive interceptor missiles available to the military’s Central Command, which is responsible for operations in the Middle East. — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 Taittinger’s focus on high‑touch hospitality, long‑term relationship building and strict adherence to family heritage shows building global advocacy off a World Cup platform can happen without depleting margins or diluting the maison’s identity. — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 The president and his advisers, the newspaper said, have concerns about expanding the conflict, depleting ​defense stockpiles, alienating Middle East Gulf allies and affecting energy supplies and the global economy. — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 26 July 2026 Four centuries later, in the mid-20th century, China’s government similarly encouraged people to eradicate over a billion sparrows to prevent them from depleting grain supplies. — Elan Abrell, The Conversation, 22 July 2026 In the past, owner Arte Moreno prevented his GMs from depleting the major league roster of controllable players. — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 21 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depleting
  1. draining
  2. reducing
  3. consuming
  4. decreasing
  5. spending
  6. exhausting
  7. absorbing
  8. burning
Verb
  • Sadly, the production was a downer, draining Kushner’s masterpiece of color and humor and inserting, in their place, gloomy projections of cityscapes and, unaccountably, David Bowie songs.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Use a sunny spot, well-draining soil, and regular watering to keep mint thriving.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • Handles up improves safety and hygiene during unloading, avoiding contact with eating surfaces and reducing injury risk.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Gormley says lifestyle changes can also help, like reducing screen time and taking more breaks from screens throughout the day.
    — Maria Godoy, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Studies have proven that regularly consuming whole grains has a positive effect on health, reducing certain markers that indicate chronic inflammation.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The cooking process greatly reduces that risk, as does storing the cooked garlic and oil at a temperature below 38° and consuming them within 2 weeks.
    — Jeremy Fox, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of consuming
Verb
  • The vaccines don’t block all flu infections but do help prevent the worst outcomes, decreasing older adults’ hospitalizations by 31%, according to the Vaccine Integrity Project, a public health group based at the University of Minnesota.
    — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • If the network of user devices is substantial enough, every job can be routed to a nearby device, decreasing the latency.
    — Dina Genkina, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of decreasing
Verb
  • He was allowed to leave the country, spending weeks at a rehab facility in Switzerland.
    — Bob Harkins, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In the sweet snaps, the mother-son duo could be seen spending time together on the beach, posing after a tennis lesson and hanging out on vacation.
    — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of spending
Verb
  • The dispute has become even more complicated because some members of the 2022 class pursued professional opportunities after exhausting their eligibility under the previous system.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Pick up a gentler, over-the-counter retinoid that won’t irritate your more sensitive skin, and will stimulate collagen production without exhausting your cells.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of exhausting
Verb
  • The second piece is a shock-absorbing landing gear – 38 friction disks that soak up the force of impact so the drone doesn't bounce.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Parents may feel uncomfortable with how much technology their children are absorbing, but feel the need to trust the teachers.
    — Perry Rettig, AJC.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of absorbing
Verb
  • As the planet heats up, driven by humans burning fossil fuels, the oceans are changing.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Twenty miles from the start of stage eight in Puçol, the biggest wildfire in 40 years in the city of Valencia was close to being extinguished but was still burning.
    — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of burning

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Cite this Entry

“Depleting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depleting. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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