Henry James †1916
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There are two words spelled demean in English. One has a construction similar to its synonym, debase: where debase combines the prefix de- with an adjective base, meaning “low” or “vile,” demean applies de- to the adjective mean, meaning “inferior or contemptible.” The basic meaning the pair shares, “to lower in character or esteem,” is quite at odds with that of the other demean: “to conduct or behave oneself.” This demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener (“to conduct”), and is generally used in formal contexts to specify a type of behavior, as in “he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner”; “she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life”; and “they knew not how to demean themselves in the king’s presence.” As such, it may be possible to demean someone for the way they demean themselves, though we assert that would be doubly mean.
Examples of demean in a Sentence
Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 1 May 2025
Moreover, 15 percent of respondents said their manager was aggressive, while 12 percent replied that their boss was demeaning.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
The woman, along with her legal team, painted a picture of a violent man whose abusive cycles included demeaning text messages, physical harm and threats.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
In the future Firestone dared to imagine, families would be replaced by collectives, children would have autonomy, pregnancy would occur outside the body, and work would be fulfilling rather than demeaning.
—Audrey Wollen, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Demean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demean. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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demean
1 of 2 verb
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