depreciate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to reduce the purchasing value of (money).
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to lessen the value or price of.
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to claim depreciation on (a property) for tax purposes.
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to represent as of little value or merit; belittle.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to reduce or decline in value or price
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(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
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.
The central bank is also unlikely to hold off on cuts to support the rupee, which has been depreciating against the U.S. dollar, said Shilan Shah of Capital Economics.
The yen has depreciated against almost every major currency this year.
From MarketWatch
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
Nowadays, old sets of Britannica can be picked up for less than the cost of delivery, “the fastest depreciating assemblage of information ever known,” as Garfield puts it.
From Washington Post
"Authorities have few remaining options and have to let the lira depreciate somewhat, but not so much that it hurts confidence."
From Reuters
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.
