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
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Over that time retirement has been diminished and degraded; Social Security in particular has survived several assassination attempts. Trevor Jackson, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026 But the Florida Supreme Court last month intervened and ordered advanced DNA testing on the last surviving sample from the case, a badly degraded lab slide with biological material from the jeans that Teresa McAbee wore the night she was murdered. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026 With the hours remaining in James Duckett’s life ticking away, the Florida Supreme Court ordered advanced DNA testing on the last surviving sample from the case, a badly degraded lab slide with biological material from the jeans Teresa was wearing the night of her murder. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026 But its conventional naval power looks severely degraded, while Western allies retain strong minesweeping capabilities that could be deployed to keep global trade flowing. Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 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 7 Apr. 2026.

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