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

He changed one song title … to slip around radio's reluctance to play songs with demeaning words in them …

—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

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

Synonyms of demeaning

• insulting
• slighting
• degrading
• derogatory
• malicious
• disparaging
• abusive
• pejorative
• uncomplimentary

Examples of demeaning in a Sentence

demanded an apology for his demeaning comments

Recent Examples on the Web

Her pictures, which start innocently enough from the puppy-dog idea, get increasingly demeaning. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026

Leadership was abusive, inappropriate and demeaning, employees told The Denver Post. —Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026

But this seems to Miss Manners both demeaning and not guaranteed of success. —Judith Martin, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026

Sweeney's storyline didn't sit right with fans, who have watched the actress undergo similar demeaning character arcs in seasons one and two. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of demean entry 1

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for demeaning

• careening
• convening
• housecleaning
• machining
• unmeaning
• cleaning
• gleaning
• greening
• keening
• leaning
• meaning
• peening