as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
bastardize the art form by adapting it to popular taste
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Recent Examples of bastardize
But, like all good things, it has been bastardized to the point of not being worth your time.
—
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Our ideals have been bastardized.
—William Mersey, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Short’s personality and complexity, attributes long discarded as her life became bastardized, stand in stark contrast to the inhumanity of her death.
—Nathan Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In both, to bastardize a saying, the play’s the thing.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Nov. 2025
The events meant to bring us together, like the Super Bowl or March Madness, have been bastardized into vehicles for ruinous addiction.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Additionally, adding the musical element further bastardizes this tale.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
Over the years, though, the cocktail has become bastardized into a sugary drink containing all sorts of fruit juices and sweeteners, causing it to be denegrated alongside the likes of Long Island Ice Teas and Strawberry Daiquiris.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2023
These white people in blackface entertained the masses with stereotypes of Blackness, bastardizing the Black identity in the process.
—Tayo Bero, refinery29.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Our ideals have been bastardized.
—William Mersey, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Short’s personality and complexity, attributes long discarded as her life became bastardized, stand in stark contrast to the inhumanity of her death.
—Nathan Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In both, to bastardize a saying, the play’s the thing.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Nov. 2025
The events meant to bring us together, like the Super Bowl or March Madness, have been bastardized into vehicles for ruinous addiction.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Additionally, adding the musical element further bastardizes this tale.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
Over the years, though, the cocktail has become bastardized into a sugary drink containing all sorts of fruit juices and sweeteners, causing it to be denegrated alongside the likes of Long Island Ice Teas and Strawberry Daiquiris.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2023
These white people in blackface entertained the masses with stereotypes of Blackness, bastardizing the Black identity in the process.
—Tayo Bero, refinery29.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastardize
Verb
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Operating without high temperatures also allowed the researchers to use a wider range of sensing materials, including polymers that might degrade under heat.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 June 2026
-
Thermomechanical recycling, another energy-intensive endeavor, relies on high-quality, homogeneous feedstock that can only be processed a limited number of times before the plastic degrades.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
These movies are about shocking and surprising the audience by setting up an expectation and then subverting that expectation.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2026
-
Director Wes Craven executes a masterclass in tension, shock, and subverting expectations.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Americans are angry that their kids are being indoctrinated into a left-wing ideology intended to infiltrate their hearts and corrupt their moral center.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
In return, Tehran has reiterated its longstanding pledge not to build a nuclear weapon, promised to dilute near weapons-grade uranium, and agreed to unblock the Strait of Hormuz – concessions that don’t go significantly beyond its prewar offers.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
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Alphabet went the other way and issued stock, which dilutes existing shareholders but adds no fixed interest bill to meet whether or not the AI bet pays off.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Bryan’s stumbling responses, under questioning from the legendary defense lawyer Clarence Darrow, left him humiliated.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
-
Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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In order to emerge victorious in his quest to bring the World Cup to Mexico, De la Torre debases himself and backstabs shamelessly.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Most of us would deny that any socially useful work can be or should be debasing.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The screenplay grows more complex and rewarding as the central relationship weakens, effectively forcing Sonya to deal with her exhausting boyfriend (Levon Hawke) and pushing Coley to connect with her father who, for whatever reason, spends a lot of time hand-making turquoise jewelry.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
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This, of course, is problematic for the homegrown haters because the opposing opinion from neutral outsiders weakens their argument and should strengthen our resolve.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
Terminix utilizes the advanced Sentricon baiting system alongside traditional liquid barriers to destroy subterranean colonies entirely.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bastardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastardize. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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