Synonyms

depreciate

American

[dih-pree-shee-ayt] / dɪˈpri ʃiˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

to reduce the purchasing value of (money).
to lessen the value or price of.
to claim depreciation on (a property) for tax purposes.
to represent as of little value or merit; belittle.

Synonyms:

minimize, decry, disparage

verb (used without object)

to decline in value.

depreciate British

/ dɪˈpriːʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

to reduce or decline in value or price
(tr) to lessen the value of by derision, criticism, etc; disparage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Commonly Confused

See deprecate

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Etymology

Origin of depreciate

First recorded in 1640–50; from Late Latin dēpretiātus “undervalued” (past participle of dēpretiāre; in Medieval Latin spelling dēpreciāre ), equivalent to Latin dē- “away from, out of” + preti(um) “price” + -ātus past participle suffix; see de-, price, -ate ¹

Explanation

Something depreciates when it loses value. If you bought shares of a company for $10 each a year ago and now they’re worth $1 each, guess what: they have depreciated. One of the most frustrating things about buying a car is the way it loses value. As soon as you drive it off the lot, your new car has already depreciated by several thousand dollars. Though usually used like this as a financial term, depreciate can also be used as the similar-sounding but unrelated word deprecate meaning "to belittle, lower in esteem." Your teachers should not depreciate you just because you don't always know the answers to their questions!

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Vocabulary lists containing depreciate

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

depreciate depreciates depreciated depreciating

The amount actually recovered in cases like this often falls well short of the amount embezzled - especially if the money has been spent on consumables, holidays, and luxury goods that depreciate.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

The cost of maintaining military superiority is rising as technological innovation accelerates, even as traditional military capital like tanks, ships, and aircraft become more vulnerable and depreciate faster.

From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026

Electric vehicles depreciate in value faster than traditional cars, meaning buyers can get a good deal on a used EV that hasn’t been on the road for long.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026

As a result, higher inflation now provides greater scope for the peso to depreciate, potentially pushing prices even higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026

An increase in the stock of money does not necessarily depreciate the rate of interest.

From Principles of Political Economy, Vol. II by Wilhelm Roscher

Much of the investment in frontier AI computation, which accounts for 50% or more of the cost of a large data center, depreciates in a few years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

And when it comes to vehicles, remember that a car also depreciates in value.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 7, 2026

A replacement battery for a Tesla Model 3 can cost up to $20,000, for a vehicle that retails at around $43,000 but depreciates quickly over time.

From Reuters ● Mar. 20, 2023

If the rupee depreciates, fuel costs more, with knock-on effects for goods that are transported or manufactured.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2023

The Pakistani government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit widens.

From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Over that same period, the yen depreciated nearly 5% against the dollar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

This means that if a homeowner needs a new roof, the insurer only covers the depreciated value of the roof rather than the entire replacement cost.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026

Having sat unused in a police yard for over three years, it will have depreciated sharply - perhaps to less than half its original price.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

The rupee has depreciated over 6% year-to-date against the dollar, trading at 95.6075, amid Middle East conflict and oil price concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

The Commander-in-chief is well aware how much the services of the officers of the transport-train have been depreciated, and how unfairly blame has been attached to them for shortcomings beyond their control.

From March to Magdala by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

With newer, more powerful chips continually being developed, operators of data centers have to keep updating chips while depreciating the value of older assets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

On balance, Gave is minded to forecast the yen’s depreciating days may be ending.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

Perhaps the disappearance of history’s icons from a depreciating currency isn’t a fatal blow to the canon of British culture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026

Planned hardware replacement cycles have investments depreciating quicker than accounting rules allow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026

A flush of crimson crept modestly to her cheeks, and she made a depreciating moue.”

From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023