as in degraded
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
a book that examines the debased character of the criminal mind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in corrupted
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
we debase ourselves when we adopt the moral code and behavior of our despised enemies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliated
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
our failure to win a single game completely debased us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of debased
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 May 2026
And this has lent Margot a debased sort of celebrity.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
6 Apr. 2026
But the influencer landscape is getting debased and splintered and a bit draining, even for Kylie.
—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
11 Mar. 2026
Now, several polls show that Wyomingites oppose killing wildlife with vehicles, which gives public officials in the next Legislative session an opening to prohibit this debased practice.
—
Wendy Keefover,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
The script, penned by Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, becomes bizarrely moralistic by the end, insinuating that the debased and debauched might perhaps see their problems solved by becoming domesticated.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Mar. 2026
In an era of debased and divisive politics, Jon Batiste is putting the pop back into populism.
—
Andrew Gilbert,
San Francisco Chronicle,
15 Dec. 2025
Only the first is still fashionable, and the last has been so debased, misused, and weaponized over the centuries as to be almost unspeakable in polite company.
—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Within this world no others exist, except as things to be debased.
—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Dogville, from 2003, is an experimental Lars von Trier film shot on a stage set in which Kidman plays a woman debased and abused by the inhabitants of a small town.
—
Wendell Steavenson,
Vogue,
8 Oct. 2025
Unlike bonds, which promise repayment of the primary investment at a future date, warranting demands for higher yields to offset inflation concerns, gold is a physical asset that cannot be debased by fiscal mismanagement or political interference.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
That wasn’t its only subject; comedy and power and misogyny and creativity and intergenerational conflict and work ethic and, especially in its last few seasons, the debased state of the entertainment industry were all richly explored through lines.
—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 May 2026
And this has lent Margot a debased sort of celebrity.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
6 Apr. 2026
But the influencer landscape is getting debased and splintered and a bit draining, even for Kylie.
—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
11 Mar. 2026
Now, several polls show that Wyomingites oppose killing wildlife with vehicles, which gives public officials in the next Legislative session an opening to prohibit this debased practice.
—
Wendy Keefover,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
The script, penned by Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, becomes bizarrely moralistic by the end, insinuating that the debased and debauched might perhaps see their problems solved by becoming domesticated.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Mar. 2026
In an era of debased and divisive politics, Jon Batiste is putting the pop back into populism.
—
Andrew Gilbert,
San Francisco Chronicle,
15 Dec. 2025
Only the first is still fashionable, and the last has been so debased, misused, and weaponized over the centuries as to be almost unspeakable in polite company.
—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Haphazardly propped on the ground with wiring and hardware exposed, the flags appear as symbols debased and emptied after centuries of misuse.
—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Within this world no others exist, except as things to be debased.
—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Dogville, from 2003, is an experimental Lars von Trier film shot on a stage set in which Kidman plays a woman debased and abused by the inhabitants of a small town.
—
Wendell Steavenson,
Vogue,
8 Oct. 2025
Unlike bonds, which promise repayment of the primary investment at a future date, warranting demands for higher yields to offset inflation concerns, gold is a physical asset that cannot be debased by fiscal mismanagement or political interference.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debased
Adjective
-
Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study.
-
According to the company, QTT enables highly secure and resilient position, navigation, and timing (PNT) services, helping maintain accurate timing and synchronization even when traditional GPS and radio-frequency signals are unavailable, degraded, or intentionally jammed.
Verb
-
Systems must remain safe not only when components fail naturally, but when data is corrupted, communication is interrupted or execution is violated.
-
And then Grisebach uses that distaff twist once again, to comment more broadly on the patriarchal nature and gendered violence of power structures corrupted by historical conflict.
Verb
-
Only the United States was humiliated; both countries have experienced a catastrophic loss.
-
However, they were then humiliated 2-1, after extra time, by second division side Torreense in the final.
Adjective
-
Johnson County He was arrested last August on charges of abuse of office and corrupt influence.
-
The kidnappings have been linked to run-ins with drug cartels and corrupt government officials, while there have also been cases involving young women who worked at the country’s many factories.
Verb
-
The decision weakened the federal Voting Rights Act’s protections against racially discriminatory redistricting.
-
Brexit’s tortuous complexity weakened governance and led to parliamentary deadlock.
Verb
-
Instead, they are encouraged to view blue zones primarily through the lens of a sloppy critique that has already been discredited.
-
Those accusations have long been discredited.
Adjective
-
Having a sick pet is emotionally a lot to handle.
-
Preventing infestation Just because one calf is sick doesn’t mean the entire herd will get it, Cammack said.
Verb
-
The Downfall and Freefall documentaries argue that Boeing’s company culture deteriorated as company execs prioritized profits and a rising share price over safety.
-
By 2024, his health had deteriorated to the point of requiring continuous oxygen, leading to his evaluation for a groundbreaking dual-organ transplant under the HOPE Act.
Cite this Entry
“Debased.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debased. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
