as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
demanded an apology for his demeaning comments
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in degrading
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliating
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in behaving
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way
I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demeaning
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
Adjective
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demeaning
Adjective
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The fourth-year coach is having none of it, dismissing outside opinions as irrelevant and insulting.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Aug. 2025
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And slandering council members, who publicly supported Madigan before Khadija Walker was nominated, is disrespectful and insulting.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The result is an altering of the model weight by a whopping 216, degrading model accuracy from 80 percent to 0.1 percent, said Gururaj Saileshwar, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and co-author of an academic paper demonstrating the attack.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 July 2025
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Another study in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that even moderate, chronic sleep restriction produces cumulative effects, subtly degrading decision quality and emotional regulation over time.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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During the call, Jacob’s father allegedly heard Donald screaming derogatory names at Jacob in the background, the complaint added.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
11 Aug. 2025
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Today the phrase is most often derogatory in tone; those who still speak unironically of social justice are generally publicists, consultants, and resistance grifters on Instagram.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Here is another example from my work: a luxury brand facing daily phishing attacks receives real-time alerts with direct links to malicious sites, allowing their legal team to act immediately.—
Dima Raketa,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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Whether for malicious purposes or simply research, someone appears to be using OpenAI’s open-source model for ransomware attacks, according to antivirus company ESET.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Living the Values: Nothing is more disparaging for employees than having a leader who demonstrates behaviors that do not align with the organizational values, and no one seems to care.—
Tony Gambill,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In fact, virtually every female character is colored by the legacy of toxic males: pervy pastors, deadbeat dads, abusive boyfriends, murderous cretins.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 Aug. 2025
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In the book, Rudy is driven to become a lawyer because his abusive father hated lawyers.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Buffalo Bill, with an able assist from Owen Wister’s 1902 classic The Virginian, along with the art of Frederic Remington and Charlie Russell, enshrined the cowboy (once a pejorative name) as an American icon and made the story of the West America’s story.—
Paul Andrew Hutton
August 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Aug. 2025
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In fact, locals use a different (and pejorative) term for the other versions: arroz con cosas, or rice with things.—
Sofia Perez,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE.com,
21 Jan. 2022
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Neither party admitted to liability and each agreed to refrain from making disparaging, negative or uncomplimentary statements about the other, the document said.—
Lorraine Mirabella,
Baltimore Sun,
29 July 2022
Cite this Entry
“Demeaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demeaning. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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