depreciate
Americanverb (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.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to reduce or decline in value or price
-
(tr) to lessen the value of by derision, criticism, etc; disparage
Commonly Confused
See deprecate
Other Word Forms
- depreciatingly adverb
- depreciator noun
- depreciatory adjective
- nondepreciating adjective
- predepreciate verb
- redepreciate verb
- undepreciated adjective
- underdepreciate verb (used with object)
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; 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!
Vocabulary lists containing depreciate
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Gift of the Magi"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
How Low Can You Go? Synonyms for "Downward"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
And they buy their baby stuff secondhand, as these goods depreciate faster than clothing, cars and electronics, they note.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 14, 2026
“NVIDIA’s customers depreciate GPUs over 4-6 years based on real-world longevity and utilization patterns,” the company said in the memo.
From Barron's • Nov. 24, 2025
They want to let the peso depreciate gradually through a rigid foreign-exchange regime based on trading within a band.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 18, 2025
Faced with a balance-of-payments crisis, India dismantled many import controls and let the rupee depreciate - a move that gave a much-needed boost to exporters and domestic producers competing with imports.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2025
Not unnaturally the commander does not depreciate his own achievements, and thus the amount of sunken tonnage reported in Berlin considerably exceeded the actual losses.
From The Victory At Sea by Hendrick, Burton J.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
