depreciate
verb
de·pre·ci·ate
di-ˈprē-shē-ˌāt 
depreciated; depreciating
1
: to lower in honor or esteem
often depreciates the importance of her work
2
a
: to lower the price or estimated value of
depreciate property
b
: to deduct from taxable income a portion of the original cost of (a business asset) over several years as the value of the asset decreases
: to fall in value
advised us to sell the stock before it depreciates
Synonyms
Examples of depreciate in a Sentence
These changes have greatly depreciated the value of the house.
The value of the house has depreciated greatly.
Recent Examples on the Web
There was still an appetite for speculation, but perhaps not as much when everyone’s wallets had suddenly depreciated in value.
—
Zachary Small, New York Times, 18 May 2024
Some Nigerians have turned to crypto as an alternative to the local currency, which has depreciated substantially over the past two years.
—Emily Flitter, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for depreciate 
Zachary Small, New York Times, 18 May 2024
Some Nigerians have turned to crypto as an alternative to the local currency, which has depreciated substantially over the past two years.
—Emily Flitter, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for depreciate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depreciate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Depreciate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depreciate. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
depreciate
verb
de·pre·ci·ate
di-ˈprē-shē-ˌāt
depreciated; depreciating
1
: to lower the price or value of
depreciate the currency
2
: to represent as of little value : disparage
3
: to fall in value
new cars depreciate rapidly
depreciative
adjective
-ˈprē-shət-iv
-shē-ˌāt-iv
Legal Definition
depreciate
verb
de·pre·ci·ate
di-ˈprē-shē-ˌāt
depreciated; depreciating
: to subject to depreciation : lower the value of
: to fall in value compare appreciate
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