depletion

/dɪˈpliːʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈpliːʃn/ (ame, ipa)

depletion — 名詞

  • depletionsingular
  • depletionsplural

1. The process by which a supply, resource, or amount of something is used up or re

1.名詞B2
釋義

耗竭

資源、數量等因消耗而大幅減少

The process by which a supply, resource, or amount of something is used up or reduced so that very little or none remains.

例句

Scientists like Dr. Saira Chen warned that ozone layer depletion could harm human health.

Dr. Saira Chen 等科學家警告，臭氧層耗竭可能危害人體健康。

collocation: ozone layer depletion

After running the marathon, Mateo felt complete physical depletion and could barely stand.

跑完馬拉松後，Mateo 感到體力完全耗竭，幾乎無法站立。

collocation: physical depletion

同義詞
  • exhaustion

    stronger — implies completely used up with nothing left

  • drain

    more gradual, often of energy or money; suggests a continuous outward flow

  • reduction

    weaker — a general decrease, not necessarily to a scarce level

反義詞
  • replenishment

    the act of filling something up again after it has been used

文法句型

depletion of [resource]

[resource] depletion

用法筆記

Frequently occurs with 'of' to specify what is being reduced (depletion of water, depletion of resources). Common in environmental, medical, and financial writing to describe a serious reduction that leaves too little left.

常見錯誤

❌There was a depletion in quality.
✅There was a reduction in quality.
💡Depletion implies a resource is used up until not enough remains; it sounds unnatural for abstract qualities like 'quality'.
❌The depletion saved money.
✅The reduction saved money.
💡Depletion is always a loss, never a positive or neutral outcome.