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Showing results for devaluation. Search instead for Disvaluation.
Synonyms

devaluation

American  
[dee-val-yoo-ey-shuhn] / diˌvæl yuˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. an official lowering of the exchange value of a country's currency relative to gold or other currencies.

  2. a reduction of a value, status, etc.

devaluation British  
/ diːˌvæljuːˈeɪʃən /

noun

  1. a decrease in the exchange value of a currency against gold or other currencies, brought about by a government Compare depreciation

  2. a reduction in value, status, importance, etc

"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
devaluation Cultural  

  1. A policy undertaken by a nation to reduce the value of its national currency either in relation to gold or in relation to the currencies of other nations.

Other Word Forms

  • minidevaluation noun
  • postdevaluation adjective
  • predevaluation noun

Etymology

Origin of devaluation

First recorded in 1910–15; devaluate + -ion

Explanation

Devaluation is when the worth of something is underestimated. If nobody appreciates your corny jokes, you might say, "The devaluation of humor in this family is truly tragic!" You can use the word devaluation for anything that isn't fully appreciated or valued, but it's more often used in an economic context. When a government deliberately lowers the value of its currency, as it compares to other countries, that's devaluation. It's one way to lower the cost of exporting goods, and it sometimes helps repair an ailing economy. Devaluation comes from value, "worth or price," and its Latin source, valere, "be strong."

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Vocabulary lists containing devaluation

Vocabulary from Readings 1, Unit 1

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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.

The devaluation of that nuance is worse than the loss of any award.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

The country is running low on the greenbacks used for a big portion of purchases, and which many Venezuelans try to save as insurance against bolivar devaluation.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

But Guidotti said while the benefits of a currency devaluation are temporary, “taxes that start out as temporary become permanent.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

Adding to the risk is Argentina's long history of currency devaluation and debt default, including most recently in 2020.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025

Of Africa's   Francophone countries, Chad benefited least from the 50% devaluation   of their currencies in January 1994.

From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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.