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deplete

 
Dictionary: de·plete   (dĭ-plēt') pronunciation
tr.v., -plet·ed, -plet·ing, -pletes.
To decrease the fullness of; use up or empty out.

[Latin dēplēre, dēplēt-, to empty : dē-, de- + plēre, to fill.]

depletable de·plet'a·ble adj.

SYNONYMS   deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, enervate. These verbs all mean to weaken severely by removing something essential. Deplete refers to using up gradually and only hints at harmful consequences: The campers' food supply was quickly depleted. Drain suggests gradual drawing off and harm: War often drains a nation's economy. Exhaust stresses reduction to a point of uselessness: "The resources of civilization are not yet exhausted" (William Ewart Gladstone). Impoverish refers to severe reduction of resources or essential qualities: "His death has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure" (Samuel Johnson). Enervate refers to weakening or destruction of vitality or strength: Idleness enervates the will to succeed.


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Thesaurus: deplete
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verb

  1. To lessen or weaken severely, as by removing something essential: drain, exhaust, impoverish, sap, use up. See give/take/reciprocity, increase/decrease, rich/poor.
  2. To make or become no longer active or productive: desiccate, dry up, give out, play out, run out. See continue/stop/pause.

Antonyms: deplete
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v

Definition: consume, exhaust supply
Antonyms: add, augment, expand, fill, give, increase


Word Tutor: deplete
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: To reduce or lessen.

pronunciation Farmers rotate their crops so they do not deplete the soil of nutrients.

Translations: Deplete
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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - mindske, reducere, tømme, lænse, opbruge

Nederlands (Dutch)
leeghalen, opgebruiken

Français (French)
v. tr. - réduire, diminuer, épuiser (des provisions), (Méd) décongestionner

Deutsch (German)
v. - aufbrauchen, erschöpfen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - μειώνω/-ομαι, εξαντλώ/-ούμαι (ως απόθεμα, κοίτασμα κ.λπ.)

Italiano (Italian)
esaurire

Português (Portuguese)
v. - esgotar

Русский (Russian)
истощать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - agotar, mermar, reducir

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - uttömma

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
耗尽, 使衰竭

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 耗盡, 使衰竭

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - (자원 등을) 고갈시키다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 涸渇させる, …から奪う

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يستنفذ, يستهلك بشكل كبير, ينقص كثيرا من كميه أو حجم أو قوة أو قيمه شئ‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הריק, רוקן‬


 
 
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surfeit
depletory
impregnate

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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