demeaning
adjective
de·mean·ing
di-ˈmē-niŋ 
: damaging or lowering the character, status, or reputation of someone or something
The work was dirty and demeaning, though not quite as somber as it sounds.—
Gillian Beer
Gillian BeerHe changed one song title … to slip around radio's reluctance to play songs with demeaning words in them …—Neil Strauss
Neil Strauss[Sylvia Plath] is most helpfully linked, not to the demeaning disputes of her milieu, but to such powerful predecessors as Theodore Roethke, T. S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas, and above all Emily Dickinson.—Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates
demeaningly
adverb
When Lorna … takes control of the inmates' pharmacy, she decides that no one needs medication. It's her belief that those who are demeaningly labeled "crazy" are given medication in order to stifle their uniqueness …
—Sophie-Marie Prime
Sophie-Marie Prime
Examples of demeaning in a Sentence
demanded an apology for his demeaning comments
Recent Examples on the Web
But the racial order of the day also made these jobs, which were physically challenging to begin with, especially demeaning, humiliating, and fraught with danger.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 June 2025
Being high and coerced into this demeaning lifestyle.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 11 June 2025
The comments in screen shots of the chat room were demeaning and vulgar – as were the texts from the anonymous messenger who had sent her the images.
—Yoonjung Seo and Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
Here’s hoping that the rude and demeaning comments Kardashian received don't discourage her—or other celebrity parents—from sharing their breastfeeding journeys.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for demeaning
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.
Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 June 2025
Being high and coerced into this demeaning lifestyle.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 11 June 2025
The comments in screen shots of the chat room were demeaning and vulgar – as were the texts from the anonymous messenger who had sent her the images.
—Yoonjung Seo and Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
Here’s hoping that the rude and demeaning comments Kardashian received don't discourage her—or other celebrity parents—from sharing their breastfeeding journeys.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for demeaning
Cite this Entry
“Demeaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demeaning. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share