Using up (9)

I think it could be either:

depleting

expending

'using up' is the definition.
('deplete' can be a synonym of 'use up')

This is the entire clue.

(Another definition for depleting that I've seen is " Using up".)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian and The Mirror.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.