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TOEIC Link Part 5: deprecate versus depreciate

Deprecate and depreciate look almost identical but carry different meanings: deprecate means to express disapproval of something, while depreciate means to fall in value or to belittle. Part 5 tests whether the blank criticizes an idea or describes a loss of value over time.

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TOEIC Link Part 5: deprecate versus depreciate

Deprecate and depreciate differ by only two letters and share a similar rhythm, so a fast reader can easily slide from one to the other. But Part 5 keeps them apart. Deprecate is a verb meaning to express strong disapproval of something; to criticize or belittle. Depreciate is a verb meaning to fall in value over time, or to reduce something's value or importance. The item is decided by asking whether the blank names an act of disapproval or a loss of value. For the full set of look-alike traps, start with the commonly confused word pairs master index.

The core rule: disapprove versus lose value

  • deprecate (verb) = to express disapproval of; to criticize. The manager deprecated the proposal as too risky. It answers is someone criticizing or objecting to this? Anchor it with deprecate → disapprove; you deprecate a plan, deprecate a practice, deprecate a suggestion — the object is usually an idea, action, or attitude.
  • depreciate (verb) = to decline in value; to lower the worth of. New vehicles depreciate quickly in the first year. It answers is this losing monetary or measured value? Anchor it with depreciate → drop in value; assets depreciate, currencies depreciate, equipment depreciates — the subject is usually a thing with a price.

A quick anchor: deprecate = disapprove of (she deprecated the idea); depreciate = fall in value (the car depreciated). The word about criticism is deprecate; the word about value is depreciate.

Why Part 5 likes this pair

The two words share nearly every letter, and both are verbs, so the wrong option looks plausible at a glance. The sentence context — not grammar — decides the answer. If the sentence involves money, assets, currency, or worth going down, you need depreciate. If it involves someone objecting to, criticizing, or playing down an idea or action, you need deprecate.

Company accountants __ office equipment over five years.

The sentence is about reducing recorded value over time, so it needs depreciate.

Several board members __ the plan to cut the training budget.

The sentence is about expressing disapproval, so it needs deprecate.

Spotting the clue

Check whether the sentence is about value or about disapproval:

  • Does the sentence involve money, assets, currency, property, or worth declining — often near value, asset, currency, equipment, or over [time]? → choose depreciate (the yen depreciated, assets depreciate).
  • Does the sentence involve criticizing, objecting to, or playing something down — often with an idea, action, or achievement as the object? → choose deprecate (deprecate the proposal, deprecate the practice).

A quick test: can you replace the word with "lose value" or "reduce in value" and keep the meaning? Then it is depreciate. Can you replace it with "disapprove of" or "criticize"? Then it is deprecate. In TOEIC business scenarios, depreciate shows up in accounting and finance frames — depreciating assets, a depreciating currency, equipment that depreciates — while deprecate shows up when people express disapproval — deprecating a strategy, deprecating a risky move. For more pairs where meaning turns on business context, see the business and finance confusable pairs study guide.

Common Part 5 patterns

TOEIC Part 5 reuses a few frames for this pair. Recognizing them saves seconds on test day:

  • "assets / equipment / vehicles __ over [time]" → depreciate (fall in value). The machinery depreciates over ten years.
  • "the currency / dollar / yen __" → depreciate (lose value). The local currency depreciated sharply last quarter.
  • "__ the proposal / plan / idea" → deprecate (disapprove). Critics deprecated the merger as premature.
  • "__ his own achievements / efforts" → deprecate (belittle, often as self-deprecate). She tends to deprecate her own contributions.

Notice that depreciate usually has a thing with a price as its subject or object, while deprecate usually has an idea, action, or person's effort as its object. If value is going down, reach for depreciate; if someone is expressing disapproval, reach for deprecate.

The takeaway

When the sentence is about something losing value over time — assets depreciate, a currency depreciates — the answer is depreciate, and the giveaway is that you could swap in "fall in value." When the sentence is about someone criticizing or playing down an idea or action — deprecate the plan, self-deprecating humor — the answer is deprecate, and the giveaway is that you could swap in "disapprove of." Remember: depreciate points at worth, while deprecate points at disapproval. For one more context-driven trap that TOEIC likes to test, review the commonly confused word pairs master index.