degrade

degrade

verb

Definition of DEGRADE

1

to bring to a lower grade or rank <the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care>

Synonyms break, bust, degrade, disrate, downgrade, reduce

Related Words can, cashier, dismiss, downsize, fire, lay off, sack; abase, debase, demean, humble, humiliate, lower

Near Antonyms hire

Antonyms advance, elevate, promote, raise

2

to lower in character, dignity, or quality <degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume>

Synonyms abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp

Related Words befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken; descend; disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down; blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck; depreciate, downgrade

Near Antonyms dignify, exalt, honor; ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect; clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore; respect

Antonyms elevate, ennoble, uplift

3

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes <the players degraded themselves with their crude antics off the field>

Synonyms abase, chasten, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, foul, humiliate, lower, shame, sink, smirch, take down

Related Words abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle; belittle, castigate, criticize, cry down, decry, depreciate, detract, diminish, discount, disparage, minimize, put down, ridicule, write off; bad-mouth, defame, defile, libel, malign, slander; affront, insult; censure, condemn, damn, denounce, execrate, reprehend, reprobate

Near Antonyms acclaim, applaud, boast, celebrate, cheer, cite, commend, compliment, congratulate, decorate, eulogize, extol (also extoll), fete (or f{ecirc}te), hail, honor, laud, praise, salute, tout; acknowledge, recognize; highlight, play up, spotlight; dignify, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnify; advance, boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift; idealize, romanticize

Antonyms aggrandize, canonize, deify, elevate, exalt