as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
made degrading comments about his so-called friend behind his back
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in reducing
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorating
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in humiliating
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the players degraded themselves with their crude antics off the field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degrading
Mike Irvine, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2025
But while the Internet is torn over whether Carpenter’s submissive position on the Man’s Best Friend cover is funny or degrading, Whoopi Goldberg was more concerned with something else.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 June 2025
Cnn Staff 20 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
The trailblazing study revealed that those sediments teemed with microbes that sit deep on the branches of the tree of life and feed by slowly degrading bits of protein buried in the sediment.
—Laura Poppick, Quanta Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degrading
Adjective
Remember, too, that placing the plastic ID tags that come with your plant near its base isn’t a great solution; they get lost and break easily, and the degrading plastic isn’t good for the health of your soil.
—Mike Irvine, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2025
But while the Internet is torn over whether Carpenter’s submissive position on the Man’s Best Friend cover is funny or degrading, Whoopi Goldberg was more concerned with something else.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 June 2025
Verb
Some users bragged about allegedly assaulting or blackmailing women and encouraged others to insult the women shown in photos with degrading language.
—Cnn Staff 20 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
The trailblazing study revealed that those sediments teemed with microbes that sit deep on the branches of the tree of life and feed by slowly degrading bits of protein buried in the sediment.
—Laura Poppick, Quanta Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degrading
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrading
Adjective
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Mimicking the president's style on social media, the governor has posted in all caps and employed insulting nicknames for political opponents.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
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Those found guilty of criticizing, insulting, defaming or threatening the king, queen, or heir apparent can be jailed for between three and 15 years for each count, with some sentences stretching to 50 years.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The French prime minister was widely expected to lose the motion after failing to win support from political rivals on both the right and left for 2026 budget plans aimed at reducing the country's yawning budget deficit.—
Ganesh Rao,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
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At Tufts University, scientists have developed a new drug that aims to boost weight loss while also reducing the nausea, muscle loss and weight regain associated with popular GLP-1 medications.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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By 6 months old, Luka was in end-stage liver failure, and his condition was deteriorating rapidly.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Nvidia’s price momo is deteriorating, slowly, according to the look here.—
John Navin,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This announcement, humiliating the involved member, is harmful.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Spirit has been looking for ways to slash costs, including furloughing and demoting hundreds more pilots and cutting unprofitable routes.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
26 Aug. 2025
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Spirit is furloughing 270 pilots and demoting an additional 140.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This comes as reports continue to roll in that another August update fail has been corrupting PC SSDs when writing large files.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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May End Up Carrying Weapons—Report Stop the billionaire takeover corrupting our government.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Further discrediting itself, Thursday’s writeup includes a marketing pitch for the SquareX platform.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
28 Aug. 2025
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Wolfenbarger’s defense attorneys began to focus on discrediting Norma as a witness after prosecutors relied on her testimony to show the jury that her daughter Melissa had allegedly suffered abuse at the hands of her husband before her 1998 disappearance, according to WSB-TV.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For decades, Indigenous leaders and advocates across the state and country have been trying to convince school communities that the use of such mascots and logos are inappropriate, demeaning and harmful.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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One detainee who submitted an account to the court that was referenced by Gregorio described sleeping in foul-smelling facilities and facing demeaning treatment by ICE agents.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degrading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrading. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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