depreciation
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the way something loses value as it gets older and is used, like a car or a computer.
the gradual decrease in the economic value of an asset due to wear and tear, age, or obsolescence.
Simple“The value of a new car suffers from rapid depreciation as soon as you drive it home.”
In context“The company accounted for the depreciation of its manufacturing equipment over a ten-year period to reflect its diminishing utility.”
UsageUncountable when referring to the general process; countable when referring to a specific calculated amount.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a way for businesses to spread the cost of an expensive item over many years.
the systematic allocation of the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life.
Simple“The accountant calculated the annual depreciation to help lower the company's tax bill.”
In context“Straight-line depreciation remains the most common method for distributing the cost of office furniture across several fiscal years.”
UsageOften used with the verbs 'calculate', 'record', or 'allow for'.
Teacher's tipIn technical accounting, distinguish this from 'impairment', which refers to a sudden, unexpected drop in value.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
the act of saying that something is not important or has little value.
the act of belittling or representing something as being of little worth.
Simple“His constant depreciation of my hard work made me want to quit the project.”
In context“The critic's depreciation of the novel's structure seemed unfair given the experimental nature of the prose.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is much rarer than the financial one and is typically found in formal writing or older literature.
SynonymsbelittlementdisparagementdetractionAntonyms
“The Iranian currency was under renewed pressure on Monday and the inflationary impact of its rapid depreciation is causing growing concern to MPs.”
“Iranians are facing runaway food inflation, closed petrol stations and a seemingly never-ending depreciation of the nation’s currency caused by a lack of foreign exchange reserves.”
From French dépréciation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.