depreciate

verb

de·​pre·​ci·​ate di-ˈprē-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce depreciate (audio)
depreciated; depreciating

transitive verb

1
: to lower in honor or esteem
often depreciates the importance of her work
2
a
: to lower the price or estimated value of
depreciate property
b
: to deduct from taxable income a portion of the original cost of (a business asset) over several years as the value of the asset decreases

intransitive verb

: to fall in value
advised us to sell the stock before it depreciates
depreciable adjective
depreciatingly adverb
depreciation noun
depreciative
di-ˈprē-shə-tiv How to pronounce depreciate (audio)
-shē-ˌā-tiv
adjective
depreciator noun
depreciatory adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for depreciate

decry, depreciate, disparage, belittle mean to express a low opinion of.

decry implies open condemnation with intent to discredit.

decried their defeatist attitude

depreciate implies a representing as being of less value than commonly believed.

critics depreciate his plays for being unabashedly sentimental

disparage implies depreciation by indirect means such as slighting or invidious comparison.

disparaged polo as a game for the rich

belittle usually suggests a contemptuous or envious attitude.

belittled the achievements of others

Examples of depreciate in a Sentence

These changes have greatly depreciated the value of the house. The value of the house has depreciated greatly.
Recent Examples on the Web And Olakunle says that prices have climbed since then as the naira has depreciated. Christine Ro, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 On Rodgers’ fourth snap of this season, his Achilles was torn, rapidly depreciating the Jets’ massive investment of premium draft picks and a huge chunk of the salary cap. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Oct. 2023 However, if the US were to default and for the first time in history fail to pay back those debts the value of government bonds would depreciate and the global market would enter a tailspin. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023 From 2001 to the present, the peso has depreciated from 1 peso per dollar to a black-market rate of around 900 pesos per dollar currently, one of the worst performances in the world. Steve H. Hanke, National Review, 15 Nov. 2023 Shrinking golf demand alone wouldn’t be enough to erode the value, unless the underlying land value itself depreciated—a very unlikely scenario when talking about green space in close proximity to a major metropolitan area. Mike Dojc, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Egypt has been reluctant to allow large numbers of refugees into the country, which is struggling with surging food prices and a depreciating currency. WSJ, 3 Nov. 2023 Vehicle loans like this one are very uncommon, experts said, because of the risk to the lender: The value of the collateral securing the loan — in this case, a motor coach — depreciates rapidly, while the outstanding principal remains constant. Jo Becker, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023 The Laotian kip has depreciated more than 43 percent against the U.S. dollar. Shibani Mahtani, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depreciate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin depretiatus, past participle of depretiare, from Latin de- + pretium price — more at price entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of depreciate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near depreciate

Cite this Entry

“Depreciate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depreciate. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

depreciate

verb
de·​pre·​ci·​ate di-ˈprē-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce depreciate (audio)
depreciated; depreciating
1
: to lower the price or value of
depreciate the currency
2
: to represent as of little value : disparage
3
: to fall in value
new cars depreciate rapidly
depreciative
-ˈprē-shət-iv
-shē-ˌāt-iv
adjective
depreciatory adjective

Legal Definition

depreciate

verb
de·​pre·​ci·​ate di-ˈprē-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce depreciate (audio)
depreciated; depreciating

transitive verb

: to subject to depreciation : lower the value of

intransitive verb

: to fall in value compare appreciate

More from Merriam-Webster on depreciate

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