degrade

verb

de·​grade di-ˈgrād How to pronounce degrade (audio)
dē-
degraded; degrading; degrades

transitive verb

1
a
: to lower in grade, rank, or status : demote
b
: to strip of rank or honors
c
: to lower to an inferior or less effective level
degrade the image quality
d
: to scale down in desirability or salability
2
a
: to bring to low esteem or into disrepute
Their actions have degraded their profession.
comments intended to humiliate and degrade others
b
: to drag down in moral or intellectual character : corrupt
… impelled, by misfortune and misery, to the vice that has degraded them.Charles Dickens
3
: to impair in respect to some physical property
material degraded by exposure to sunlight
4
geology : to wear down by erosion
degraded the hillside
5
chemistry : to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) : decompose

intransitive verb

1
: to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower
causes the meat to degrade in quality
2
of a chemical compound : to become reduced in complexity
plastics that don't easily degrade
degrader noun

Did you know?

In Shakespeare's King Lear, the old king is degraded by the daughters he has given his kingdom to. He finds it degrading, for instance, when the number of his guards is reduced from 100 to 25. His degradation seems complete when, after going mad, he's reduced to living in the wilderness. As you can see, degrade is often a synonym for humiliate.

Examples of degrade in a Sentence

The group accuses the company of degrading women in its ads. He felt degraded by their remarks. Scratches on a camera lens will degrade the image. Pollution has degraded air quality.
Recent Examples on the Web Each method is weaponized—almost always against women—to degrade, harass, or cause shame, among other harms. Matt Burgess, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 CeCe Moore, chief genetic genealogist, said the DNA evidence was highly degraded, but officials were able to create a viable DNA profile in 2018 from the sample. Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Obliterating these kinds of space systems could degrade the effectiveness of Ukrainian defense forces that heavily rely on commercial satellite communications and imagery. Aaron Bateman, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2024 Department officials also noted that state law requires them to issue a permit under the water quality program if the company can demonstrate that its work will not degrade drinking water beyond standards or further degrade already polluted aquifers. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 The disruption of the cables did not disconnect any country from the Internet, but The Wall Street Journal reports service in India, Pakistan and parts of East Africa was noticeably degraded. Chris Morris, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Heat can stretch out the material and may degrade the fabric. Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 4 Mar. 2024 So, what President Trump is doing is degrading the United States. CBS News, 25 Feb. 2024 Wild-ice seekers extol late fall and sometimes spring for freezing conditions without snowfall, which degrades ice. Elaine Glusac, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'degrade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French degrader, from Late Latin degradare, from Latin de- + gradus step, grade — more at grade entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of degrade was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near degrade

Cite this Entry

“Degrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degrade. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

degrade

verb
de·​grade di-ˈgrād How to pronounce degrade (audio)
1
: to reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree : deprive of an office or position
2
: to lower the character of : debase
3
: to reduce the complexity of a chemical compound : decompose
degradable
-ˈgrād-ə-bəl
adjective
degrader noun

Medical Definition

degrade

transitive verb
de·​grade di-ˈgrād How to pronounce degrade (audio)
degraded; degrading
: to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) by splitting off one or more groups or larger components : decompose
cellulose is degraded by the action of some bacteria

intransitive verb

: to undergo chemical degradation

More from Merriam-Webster on degrade

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