An early and still the most current sense of deprecate is “to express disapproval of.” In a sense development still occasionally criticized by a few, deprecate has come to be synonymous with the similar but etymologically unrelated word depreciate in the sense “belittle”: The author modestly deprecated the importance of his work. In compounds with self-,deprecate has almost totally replaced depreciate in modern usage: Her self-deprecating account of her career both amused and charmed the audience.
Examples from the web for deprecate
Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.
To use this tactic is merely to deprecate the motives of one's opponents rather than to argue the evidence.
The first and fully accepted meaning of deprecate is to express disapproval of.
He teaches but does not deprecate - at least publicly.
It puzzles me so many people extol the virtues of saving yet at the same time deprecate borrowing.
This is not to minimize these needs or deprecate the believers.
To bespeak the importance of small parks is not to deprecate the importance of big ones.
You have to choose sides and once you do you must deprecate the other side regardless of reason or logic.
The lawyer should do nothing to deprecate the bank's functions or its importance in the field of estate planning.
He doesn't yell or deprecate his players.
British Dictionary definitions for deprecate
deprecate
/ˈdɛprɪˌkeɪt/
verb (transitive)
1.
to express disapproval of; protest against
2.
to depreciate (a person, someone's character, etc); belittle
C17: from Latin dēprecārī to avert, ward off by entreaty, from de- + precārī to pray
Word Origin and History for deprecate
v.
1620s, "to pray against or for deliverance from," from Latin deprecatus, past participle of deprecari "to pray (something) away" (see deprecation). Meaning "to express disapproval" is from 1640s. Related: Deprecated, deprecating.