Meaning & use
deprecation
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountableformal
Open expression of disapproval toward something, treating it as wrong, weak, or not worthwhile.
Grammar: A mass noun: a tone of deprecation, not a deprecation.
Patterns
- deprecation of something
- with deprecation
Her letter was full of deprecation for the council's plan.
The deprecation of old habits was a theme of his speeches.
He waved away the praise with a gesture of mild deprecation.
nouncountable or uncountablecomputingtechnical
In computing, the official marking of a feature as outdated, so users are told to stop using it before it is removed.
Grammar: Often used with API or feature names: the deprecation of an old function.
Patterns
- deprecation of something
- a deprecation warning
The update included the deprecation of the old login method.
A deprecation notice appeared when she ran the program.
Developers have six months before the deprecation takes effect.
Word forms
| plural | deprecations |
|---|
Common combinations
- deprecation warning
- The compiler printed a deprecation warning for the old function.
- deprecation notice
- A deprecation notice was sent to all users.
- deprecation policy
- The project's deprecation policy gives users a year to migrate.
- self-deprecation
- His self-deprecation made the audience like him.
- announce the deprecation of
- The team announced the deprecation of the old interface.
Synonyms and how they differ
- disapproval
- Disapproval is the plain everyday word, whereas deprecation is stronger and more formal, suggesting you speak against something.
- criticism
- Criticism may be balanced and include praise, while deprecation is wholly negative.
- disparagement
- Disparagement implies belittling something unfairly, and deprecation can be a sincere moral objection.
- obsolescence
- Obsolescence is the state of being out of date, and deprecation is the formal act of discouraging a feature.
Opposites
Word family
- deprecate verb
- to express disapproval of, or mark as outdated
- deprecated adjective
- discouraged, especially of software features
- deprecatory adjective
- expressing disapproval
- self-deprecating adjective
- making little of your own abilities
Commonly confused: deprecation or depreciation?
deprecation vs depreciation
Depreciation is a loss of value over time, as of a car or equipment, whereas deprecation is disapproval or marking a feature as outdated.
Practice
The software team announced the ______ of the old interface, meaning users should move to the new one before it is removed.
Choose one answer.
Deprecation is the formal marking of a feature as outdated. Depreciation is loss of value, which is the tempting wrong choice.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “deprecation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.