degraded

adjective

de·​grad·​ed di-ˈgrā-dəd How to pronounce degraded (audio)
dē-
Synonyms of degradednext
1
: reduced far below ordinary standards of civilized life and conduct
2
: characterized by degeneration of structure or function
degradedly adverb

Examples of degraded in a Sentence

many observers deplored the fact that the city's festivities for Mardi Gras had become a degraded, drunken celebration
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The modular design allows users to swap a single degraded battery without replacing the entire pack. New Atlas, 11 Dec. 2025 Posting is a method of enacting a degraded version of that much-vaunted thing, community, with its ever-changing roster of winners and losers, in-groups and out-groups, and mean girls and sweet guys. Paul McAdory, Them., 9 Dec. 2025 Despite confirming my citizenship, the way I was treated left me feeling traumatized, humiliated, degraded, and unheard. Miami Herald, 6 Dec. 2025 His keen observational eye and provocative prose reveal the majesty of the many degraded rivers around the world. Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for degraded

Word History

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of degraded was in 1643

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Cite this Entry

“Degraded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degraded. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.

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