Vocabulary in context
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Deprecate
To express disapproval of something; to condemn or belittle.
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Imagine This
The company’s board of directors disapproved the president’s proposal to spend more money on Research and Development because the cash reserve has depreciated to a very low level.
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Sounds Like
Phonetic: /ˈdɛprɪˌkeɪt/ (DE-prih-kayt)
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Looks Like
Depreciate → Reduce in value
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Remember This
Remember this: deprecate means to express disapproval; depreciation is a noun referring to a decrease in value. They are often confused with related but distinct terms.
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Other Forms
deprecatesverb
deprecateverb
deprecatingadjective
deprecatedadjective
deprecationnoun
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Note
Deprecate is used to express disapproval of actions, policies, or proposals in formal writing. Do not confuse with depreciate (to lose value) or deprecation (the act or process of expressing disapproval or of diminishing value). In computing, 'deprecated' means a feature is discouraged and slated for removal.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The board deprecated the proposed budget cuts as short-sighted.
- Scholars deprecated the use of outdated methods in the experiment.
Synonyms
disapprovecondemndecrybelittlecriticize
Antonyms
approveendorsepraise
Etymology
From Latin deprecatus 'warded off by prayer', from de- 'away' + precari 'to pray'; via Old French or directly into English to mean 'to express disapproval'.
Mnemonic
DEPRAY-CATE: imagine someone praying away approval; deprecate literally sounds like de-pray-cate, helping you remember it means to express disapproval.
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Opt
verbTo make a choice or decide on something, often after consideration; to prefer and act on a particular option.
Desultory
adjectiveDescribing actions or thinking that are random, disconnected, and lacking a clear plan or purpose; unorganized or inconsistent.
Bombastic
adjectivePompous, inflated, and showy in language or style, often with little real substance.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Condemn
verbTo express strong disapproval of something or someone, and to declare them unfit, wrong, or deserving of punishment; in a legal sense, to sentence a person to punishment.
Decry
verbTo publicly condemn or denounce something; to express strong disapproval of a policy, action, or idea.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
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