replenish

replenish — verb

1. to put back into something the quantity that has been taken or used, so that it

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to put back into something the quantity that has been taken or used, so that it returns to its original level or condition.

Example

After the hike, Indra replenished her water bottle from the mountain stream.

replenish + direct object (concrete container)

The gardener replenished the soil with compost each spring before planting.

replenish + object + with + material

Common collocations
  • replenish supplies
  • replenish stocks
  • replenish energy
  • replenish the soil
  • replenish water/fuel
  • replenish the shelves
  • replenish with (e.g., replenish the tank with fuel)
Synonyms
  • refill

    less formal, mainly for containers or vessels

  • restock

    limited to inventory, shelves, or merchandise

  • recharge

    restricted to batteries, devices, or personal energy

  • restore

    broader; can mean returning to an original state, not just filling

Antonyms
  • deplete

    to reduce the amount of something, the opposite of replenishing

  • drain

    to remove liquid or energy until little is left

Grammar Patterns

replenish + noun phrase

replenish + noun phrase + with + noun phrase

Usage Note

More formal than 'refill'; commonly used with both concrete nouns (supplies, water, shelves) and abstract nouns (energy, confidence, strength). The passive form (be replenished) is frequent in formal and academic writing.

Common Mistakes

The waitress replenished my coffee cup.
The waitress refilled my coffee cup.
'replenish' sounds too formal for everyday situations like a drink at a restaurant; use 'refill' instead.
I need to replenish some water because I am thirsty.
I need to replenish my water bottle after the long run.
'replenish' describes returning something to a previous level, not simply consuming for personal need.

Word family

  • replenishment
    nounB2
  • replenished
    adjectiveB2
  • replenishing
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words involve bringing something back toward a fuller state, but they differ in scope and register. 'Refill' is the most everyday term, used for containers and vessels (a coffee cup, a gas tank). 'Restock' is limited to inventory and merchandise in shops or storage areas. 'Recharge' applies specifically to batteries, electronic devices, or personal energy. 'Restore' is the broadest — it covers returning anything to its original condition, not just filling a container (restore a painting, restore order). 'Replenish' sits between 'refill' and 'restore' in register and range; it can be used for both concrete supplies and abstract resources (energy, confidence), but carries a formal tone that makes it less common in casual speech. For example: 'I need to refill my water bottle' (casual), 'The shop must restock its shelves' (retail), 'She took a break to recharge her energy' (personal), and 'The government aims to replenish emergency supplies' (formal).

replenish ↗refill ↗restockrecharge ↗restore ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • quickly replenish
  • regularly replenish
  • constantly replenish
  • fully replenish

Phrases

  • replenish one's energy
  • replenish the stock of something

Prepositions

  • replenish with
  • replenish at

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Comes from Latin 'replenire', where 're-' means 'again' and 'plenire' means 'to fill' (from 'plenus' meaning 'full'). It entered English through Old French 'replenir' during the Middle English period, originally carrying the same core sense of filling something that had become empty.