depletion

noun

as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened the kind of catastrophic illness that can make a sizable depletion in a family's savings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 depletion The rare Voatsiperifery pepper, native to Madagascar and coveted by international chefs, is facing the depletion of its wild habitat through irresponsible harvesting, bush fires, and charcoal production. — Leah Quinn, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026 Their concerns ranged from noise pollution to water depletion to higher water and energy bills. — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026 The accusations come amid broader criticism of Petro over alleged misuse of public funds, depletion of national budgets and drug trafficking. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 In Alaska, salmon are one of the main prey sources for belugas—and the fish need cold water to develop their eggs, keep their metabolism stable and prevent energy depletion during long migratory journeys. — Ryan Green, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026 Texas's existing water supplies are projected to decline 10%, mainly because of aquifer depletion. — Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Trust fund depletion would not mean Social Security stops collecting payroll taxes or paying benefits. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 Recent stress or low mood can respond well to a workout, while chronic depletion may call for rest instead. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 In at least four cases, the use of fishmeal or fish oil and their link to industrial fishing and ecosystem depletion were central to arguments that the products were not environmentally sustainable. — Ian Urbina, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depletion
  1. decrease
  2. reduction
  3. decline
  4. drop
  5. dent
Noun
  • Although the decrease in shot volume wasn’t quite as dramatic, Giddey went 1-for-10 from the field and scored only two points in Wednesday’s brutal beatdown by the Raptors.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Clippers have the largest decrease in the NBA in average age between their current roster and the group that was active for last year's season opener, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of decrease
Noun
  • The district plans to make about $1 million in reductions during the 2027-28 academic year regardless of the referendum, according an infographic from the district.
    — Elena Tittel, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Schmidt expects that kind of workforce reduction to become more common as AI makes businesses more efficient.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduction
Noun
  • But over the past year, the company has seen its share price decline by approximately a third, largely due to rising costs.
    — Rob Wile, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The decline was among the most noteworthy changes in polling about the November ballot, PPIC poll director Mark Baldassare told The Sacramento Bee.
    — Andrew Graham October 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of decline
Noun
  • To Nothing’s credit, the case gets IPX2 ingress protection, so a drop of rain now and then shouldn’t kill it.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Vaibhav steps into the India lineup in place of Ishan Kishan who has a groin injury and will bat at first drop unless India chooses to match him in an all left hand opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of drop
Noun
  • Becerra played it safe with reporters, sidestepping a question about why his party hadn’t made a bigger dent in California’s affordability crisis after 16 years in the governor’s office.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • But our gathering has barely made a dent in the cove’s urchin numbers.
    — Joseph Ogilvy, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of dent

Browse Nearby Words

depleting
depletion
depletions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depletion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depletion. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shindig

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All