1
as in to reduce
to diminish the price or value of
a glutted market cheapened cranberries to the point where they were selling for less than what it cost to grow them
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
a politician who would cheapen herself by caving in to lobbyists
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3
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
she really cheapens herself by shamelessly pursuing men like that
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cheapen
The acceleration of fast fashion has only complicated the issue, as non-essential features are cheapened or ditched in a bid to push down prices.
—
Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
And so do donors like me — who understand that supporting donors honors our sacrifice, rather than cheapens it.
—Lindsay Gutierrez, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2025
When the front, sides, and back are all different, the inconsistency can be distracting and cheapen the feeling of the neighborhood.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
The one thing that will cheapen a home is too short of a window treatment or one that is mounted incorrectly.
—Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cheapen
Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
And so do donors like me — who understand that supporting donors honors our sacrifice, rather than cheapens it.
—Lindsay Gutierrez, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2025
When the front, sides, and back are all different, the inconsistency can be distracting and cheapen the feeling of the neighborhood.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
The one thing that will cheapen a home is too short of a window treatment or one that is mounted incorrectly.
—Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cheapen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cheapen
Verb
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The ban aims to improve academic achievement, reduce cyberbullying, and minimize classroom disruptions.—
Ruby Grisin,
The Courier-Journal,
26 July 2025
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Failure to follow instructions could reduce the product's effectiveness, damage specific surfaces, and increase potential health risks to humans and pets.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 July 2025
Verb
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Poor sizing can result in uneven temperatures, higher utility bills, potentially shorter equipment lifespan, and degraded indoor air quality.—
Brynn Cooksey,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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The city has earmarked money, some $91 million, but not for a targeted effort to stop the opioid crisis from degrading the quality of life for Boston residents.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Coach Ruben Amorim publicly humiliated him before a loan move to Aston Villa for the final half of the campaign.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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Caught in an undignified situation, humiliated by a hot, skinnier love interest, Jessica was the latest incarnation of the funny fat lady (who is never actually that fat, merely representative of the average American woman).—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
Verb
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Also in the Pacific, Tropical Depression Iona, over 1,400 miles west of Honolulu, continued weakening as it was expected to cross the International Date Line on Saturday, according to a hurricane center advisory.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
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The job market weakened sharply during the late spring and early summer as President Trump's tariffs began to take effect.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This is mainly an effort to discredit and demonize property taxes, which DeSantis wants to abolish or severely curtail in Florida.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
26 July 2025
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Trump’s theory here, juiced by Gabbard, is that Obama used talk of Russian election interference to discredit Trump’s 2016 election win and hobble his first term in office.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Verb
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On the flip side, some influencers have posted images of them wearing Skims' retro girdle as a sole outfit, subverting the 1950s connotation of undergarments as visible only to one's husband, said Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, professor of gender at Case Western Reserve University.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
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Alex managed to bypass Charlie’s detection by training herself to swallow all her natural impulses when lying, subverting the template of the show and what fans have come to expect.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Look, the Yankees didn’t embarrass themselves in a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Monday night.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
29 July 2025
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In the aftermath, the mother was angry for a week, accusing him of undermining her authority and embarrassing her in front of their social circle.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 July 2025
Verb
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While instilling fear by propagating cruelty may be a de facto policy to deter others from immigrating to the U.S., demeaning people in this way demeans us all.—
Nicole Widdersheim,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 July 2025
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The former Islander was removed from the villa after using a word that demeans the Asian community.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cheapen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheapen. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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