diff --git a/sklearn/utils/__init__.py b/sklearn/utils/__init__.py
index 9f5603255c65fba0d9c2b57406a4d14803fc6cea..a6ca0a86602c26e41b1f27226f37c3db308ba9f8 100644
--- a/sklearn/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/sklearn/utils/__init__.py
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ class deprecated(object):
     in an empty of parentheses:
 
     >>> from sklearn.utils import deprecated
+    >>> deprecated() # doctest: +ELLIPSIS
+    <sklearn.utils.deprecated object at ...>
+
     >>> @deprecated()
     ... def some_function(): pass