degrade

[dih-greyd, dee-greyd]

verb (used with object)

degraded, degrading 

1. to lower in dignity or estimation; bring into contempt.

   He felt they were degrading him by making him report to the supervisor.

   Synonyms: discredit, dishonor, disgrace
   Antonyms: exalt

2. to lower in character or quality; debase.

   Synonyms: vitiate, abase
   Antonyms: exalt

3. to reduce (someone) to a lower rank, degree, etc.; deprive of office, rank, status, or title, especially as a punishment.

   degraded from director to assistant director.

   Synonyms: break, cashier, lower, downgrade, depose, demote
   Antonyms: promote

4. to reduce in amount, strength, intensity, etc.

5. Physical Geography.,  to wear down by erosion, as hills.

6. Chemistry.,  to break down (a compound, especially an organic hydrocarbon).

verb (used without object)

degraded, degrading 

1. to become degraded; weaken or worsen; deteriorate.

2. Chemistry.,  (especially of an organic hydrocarbon compound) to break down or decompose.

degrade

/ dɪˈɡreɪd /

verb

1. (tr) to reduce in worth, character, etc; disgrace; dishonour

2. (tr) to reduce in rank, status, or degree; remove from office; demote

3. (tr) to reduce in strength, quality, intensity, etc

4. to reduce or be reduced by erosion or down-cutting, as a land surface or bed of a river Compare aggrade

5. chem to decompose or be decomposed into atoms or smaller molecules

Other Word Forms

• degrader noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of degrade¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English degraden, from Late Latin dēgradāre, from Latin dē- de- + grad(us) “step, rank, progress” ( grade ) + -āre, infinitive verb suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of degrade¹

C14: from Late Latin dēgradāre, from Latin _de- + gradus rank, degree

Synonym Study

See humble.

Example Sentences

The IOC used visual inspections in the 1960s, but there were concerns they were degrading and invasive, before mandatory chromosome-based cheek swab tests were introduced.

From BBC

Mich Gonzalez, Michael's lawyer, says that while immigration detention centers are supposed to be non-punitive - a place to supervise immigrants who are facing deportation - the conditions inside these facilities are "degrading and deadly".

From BBC

Airstrikes, however, won’t be any more effective at degrading the cartels or diminishing the flow of drugs into the United States than ground operations would be.

From Los Angeles Times

Decades of farming and irrigation have degraded the soil, drawing salts and metals to the surface.

From Los Angeles Times

We all know the answer: Racist white Americans who don’t like being reminded of how horrible and degrading slavery actually was.

From Salon

Related Words

• cheapen 
• corrupt 
• debase 
• degenerate 
• demean 
• deteriorate 
• diminish 
• discredit 
• disgrace 
• downgrade 
• impair 
• lessen 
• reduce 
• vitiate 
• weaken