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
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Recent Examples of depletion
Social Security Isn’t Vanishing The program’s primary trust fund is projected to face depletion by 2032 without legislative action, but depletion doesn’t mean elimination.
—
Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Analysts have been projecting trust fund depletion for over a decade.
—Martha Shedden, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
What’s Quietly Working Against You Social Security’s primary trust fund is projected to face depletion by 2032 without legislative action, though depletion doesn’t mean elimination.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
The World Health Organization has also warned that essential medical supplies at some hospitals in Lebanon are near depletion.
—Nada Bashir, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Too much extraction from aquifers, or changes to the climate bringing less water, leads to depletion.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Just make sure to rotate your crops each season to prevent nutrient depletion and disease buildup.
—Melissa Ozawa, Martha Stewart, 6 Apr. 2026
The depletion of fossil fuels and the ripple effects of pollution, global warming, and overpopulation turned the world into an ugly place.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
With the program facing looming trust fund depletion dates, Washington leaders will need to come together again to shore up the program’s funding — or risk imminent benefit cuts if the program can’t pay benefits as promised.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Analysts have been projecting trust fund depletion for over a decade.
—Martha Shedden, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
What’s Quietly Working Against You Social Security’s primary trust fund is projected to face depletion by 2032 without legislative action, though depletion doesn’t mean elimination.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
The World Health Organization has also warned that essential medical supplies at some hospitals in Lebanon are near depletion.
—Nada Bashir, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Too much extraction from aquifers, or changes to the climate bringing less water, leads to depletion.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Just make sure to rotate your crops each season to prevent nutrient depletion and disease buildup.
—Melissa Ozawa, Martha Stewart, 6 Apr. 2026
The depletion of fossil fuels and the ripple effects of pollution, global warming, and overpopulation turned the world into an ugly place.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
With the program facing looming trust fund depletion dates, Washington leaders will need to come together again to shore up the program’s funding — or risk imminent benefit cuts if the program can’t pay benefits as promised.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depletion
Noun
-
According to Gary’s 2025 Public Safety Report, the city’s homicide rate is its lowest since 1970, and fatal shootings decreased from 133 incidents in 2024 to 101 in 2025, which is a 24% decrease.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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The decrease in students also means a decrease in state funding for next school year.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
On Friday, swaps markets reflected around a 40% chance of a reduction by then, rising from about 20% after the Justice Department dropped its investigation into the Fed.—
Michael MacKenzie,
Bloomberg,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the budget proposal on Capitol Hill last week, telling senators that the visitor experience to parks can be improved even while spending and staff reductions are made.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The in-flight tests yielded a substantial decline in soot and ice with 100 percent SAF.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Correction-level declines occurred in 71% of those years, versus only 44% in other years.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After a tough 2025 that saw revenue drop and its Woodspin joint venture with Suzano fall apart, the Finnish fiber maker has spent the past year regrouping.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
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With Leeds not playing in the league last weekend, and three of the other at-risk teams winning, Opta’s supercomputer has stayed strong on the current projections for those who are most likely to face the drop.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Avoid cans that have dents or lid damage, as this can increase the risk of bacteria that cause botulism (a form of food poisoning).—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
1 May 2026
-
But the creators of The Longest Table project are hoping to make a dent in what the World Health Organization has identified as a significant public health issue when the free public community event rolls into Miami on Friday.—
Connie Ogle
April 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Depletion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depletion. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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