Library / English Dictionary

DEPRECATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Belittle

Example:

The teacher should not deprecate his student's efforts

Synonyms:

deprecate; depreciate; vilipend

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "deprecate" is one way to...):

belittle; disparage; pick at (express a negative opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "deprecate"):

deflate; puncture (reduce or lessen the size or importance of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

deprecation (the act of expressing disapproval (especially of yourself))

deprecative; deprecatory (tending to diminish or disparage)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Express strong disapproval of; deplore

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "deprecate" is one way to...):

disapprove; reject (deem wrong or inappropriate)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

deprecation (the act of expressing disapproval (especially of yourself))

deprecative (given to expressing disapproval)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He had not left her long, by no means long enough for her to have the slightest inclination for thinking of any body else, when a letter was brought her from Randalls—a very thick letter;—she guessed what it must contain, and deprecated the necessity of reading it.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Mr. Spenlow seemed quite cowed by the gentlemanly sternness of Miss Murdstone's manner, and deprecated her severity with a conciliatory little wave of his hand.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But at other times doubt and alarm intermingled with his hopes; and when he thought of her acknowledged disinclination for privacy and retirement, her decided preference of a London life, what could he expect but a determined rejection? unless it were an acceptance even more to be deprecated, demanding such sacrifices of situation and employment on his side as conscience must forbid.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)