depreciation

noun

di-ˌprē-shē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce depreciation (audio)
Synonyms of depreciationnext
1
: the act of making a person or thing seem less valuable : the act of depreciating
depreciation of the role of art in school
2
: a decrease in the value of something (as due to deterioration or obsolescence)
specifically : a decrease in the value of property (such as machinery) for the purpose of taxation that is carried as a yearly charge amortizing the original cost over the useful life of the property

Examples of depreciation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lawrence has also honed his sense of perspective, even if it’s often masked by self-depreciation. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026 Here's what that means for depreciation, Samsung's head start, and whether Apple's bet makes sense. — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 The viewership decline isn’t isolated and, to some degree, many television shows see audience depreciation season-over-season. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 30 June 2026 Instead, Elliott wants to allow the government to be able to pay the lower book value on those assets, or what the utility originally paid, minus depreciation. — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for depreciation

Word History

First Known Use

1744, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of depreciation was in 1744

Rhymes for depreciation

See All Rhymes for depreciation

Browse Nearby Words

depreciatingly
depreciation
depreciation accounting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depreciation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depreciation. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

depreciation

noun
de·​pre·​ci·​a·​tion
di-ˌprē-shē-ˈā-shən
1
: a decline in the purchasing power or exchange value of money
2
: the act of making a person or a thing seem little or unimportant : disparagement
3
: a decline (as from age or wear and tear) in the value of something

Legal Definition

depreciation

noun
de·​pre·​ci·​a·​tion di-ˌprē-shē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce depreciation (audio)
1
: any decrease in the value of property (as machinery) for the purpose of taxation that cannot be offset by current repairs and is carried on company books as a yearly charge amortizing the original cost over the useful life of the property
— accelerated depreciation
: the depreciation of property that was put into use prior to 1980 which is allowed at a faster rate than normal under the depreciation rules in force before the adoption of the Accelerated Cost Recovery System
— straight-line depreciation
: depreciation of an asset by a fixed percentage of its original cost based on its estimated life
2
: a loss in the value of property due to physical deterioration and wear or to obsolescence and lack of adaptability

More from Merriam-Webster on depreciation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for depreciation

Nglish: Translation of depreciation for Spanish Speakers

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