Deprecate vs. Depreciate

Deprecate vs. Depreciate Deprecate vs. Depreciate Deprecate vs. Depreciate By Sharon Only one letter separates these two words, but theres considerable difference in meaning. The word deprecate means to express disapproval of something. A synonym for deprecate in this context is to deplore. Example: He deprecated his sisters actions. This means that he did not approve of his sisters actions. The word depreciate means to belittle or play down. Example: He depreciated his sisters achievements. This means that he behaved as if his sisters achievements were insignificant. Depreciate also means to decrease in value. If youve ever owned a car, then youll know that every year it is worth less than the previous year. In other words, it has depreciated. The noun is depreciation, which is very common business and financial term. Quotations from the press: For most used-car buyers it would be a dream come true: Your car actually gains in value, instead of depreciating. When Kelley Blue Book looked at depreciation of used cars from May 24 to the same day last year, it found 23 examples of used cars that had gained in value during that time. (USA Today) It is easy enough to deprecate Mahlers Third. It is inordinately longclose to two hours. It repeats ideas endlessly; much of the music could easily be exchanged with that of other Mahler symphonies; the idiom is pure Mahler with little variation from previous compositions; long stretches are unrelievedly banal. LA Times Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You7 Tips for Writing a Film Review50 Synonyms for â€Å"Villain†