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

"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry

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"The Gift of the Magi"

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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

That could be a big deal because companies typically depreciate their chips over four to six years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

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

We who are older must not think depreciatingly of them, nor should the young depreciate themselves—their abilities, their time, their opportunities.

From The Little Gleaner, Vol. X. A Monthly Magazine for the Young by Various

Remolona pointed to prior episodes where the peso depreciates sharply just as oil prices surged, fueling inflation and prompting the BSP to step in.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026

As the car gets older, its value depreciates — leading to borrowers paying more than the market value of their vehicle.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 23, 2025

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

Nevertheless, I fancy I have made a passable shot of you at last, although you still persist in mistaking the ear of an otter for his eye, which always depreciates the value of the skin.

From Wood Rangers The Trappers of Sonora by Mayne Reid

According to his calculations, the Indian rupee has depreciated by between 35% and 47% against the currencies of major study destinations since 2019.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026

The won has depreciated almost 6% against the dollar this year, despite similar yields BX:AMBMKKR-10Y, lower inflation, a huge current account surplus and record exports.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026

Exporters got a boost from the yen, which depreciated 7.8% against the dollar in April, making Japanese goods cheaper and more competitive overseas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Since the crisis erupted, the interest rates at which Romania borrows have risen, and the lei currency has depreciated against the euro, which reached an all-time high of 5.21 Romanian lei on Tuesday.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

As the money depreciated, property appreciated; as the money appreciated, property depreciated.

From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 8 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Political by Robert Green Ingersoll

Two of the world’s most sophisticated equipment buyers, depreciating similar gear, landed six months apart on how long that gear lasts.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

If the tax turns these high-priced apartments into depreciating assets, prices of smaller apartments will have to rise to make up for it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 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

Elevated capex levels also present the risk of saddling Amazon with depreciating chips and servers that will send expenses soaring in future years.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 13, 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

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