as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
bastardize the art form by adapting it to popular taste
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Recent Examples of bastardize
Over the years, though, the cocktail has become bastardized into a sugary drink containing all sorts of fruit juices and sweeteners, causing it to be denegrated alongside the likes of Long Island Ice Teas and Strawberry Daiquiris.
—
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2023
These white people in blackface entertained the masses with stereotypes of Blackness, bastardizing the Black identity in the process.
—Tayo Bero, refinery29.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Society, this week, also bastardized two wholesome childhood fixtures, SunnyD and Girl Scout Cookies.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 10 Mar. 2023
What does a profession license mean if you’re allowed to bastardize the court system that way.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2020
Videos that bastardize neighborhood names, or cluelessly treat storied establishments like new discoveries.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2022
To bastardize the bands Pablo Cruise or Yes, love will always find a way.
—Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2021
As a carcass decomposes, the bacteria in the body itself runs rampant, producing its signature stink and bastardizing the soil’s microbiome.
—Matt Simon, Wired, 21 Jan. 2020
The initial fear that the band was going to make a killing on wading-pool-deep music and basically bastardize country music was way off-base.
—Chuck Yarborough, cleveland, 8 Jan. 2020
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2023
These white people in blackface entertained the masses with stereotypes of Blackness, bastardizing the Black identity in the process.
—Tayo Bero, refinery29.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Society, this week, also bastardized two wholesome childhood fixtures, SunnyD and Girl Scout Cookies.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 10 Mar. 2023
What does a profession license mean if you’re allowed to bastardize the court system that way.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2020
Videos that bastardize neighborhood names, or cluelessly treat storied establishments like new discoveries.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2022
To bastardize the bands Pablo Cruise or Yes, love will always find a way.
—Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2021
As a carcass decomposes, the bacteria in the body itself runs rampant, producing its signature stink and bastardizing the soil’s microbiome.
—Matt Simon, Wired, 21 Jan. 2020
The initial fear that the band was going to make a killing on wading-pool-deep music and basically bastardize country music was way off-base.
—Chuck Yarborough, cleveland, 8 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastardize
Verb
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Plus, this rash guard’s fabric blocks 98% of UVA and UVB rays, though keep in mind that frequent laundering will degrade the UV-blocking ability over time.5 In general, it’s recommended that UPF clothing be replaced after 40-50 washes.—
Laura Lu,
Parents,
19 May 2025
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Meanwhile, Erebus is at risk of degrading due to strong currents.—
Meilan Solly,
Smithsonian Magazine,
19 May 2025
Verb
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This opens the door to whole new fields of enterprise, ethical and criminal, involving influencing the actions of—or simply subverting—AI agents.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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The Incoherent Case for Tariffs Trump’s fixation on economic coercion will subvert his economic goals.—
Antony J. Blinken,
Foreign Affairs,
6 May 2025
Verb
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Absolute power may corrupt absolutely, but absolute wealth can separate the wealthy from reality.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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We were told that he was just morally corrupted by the White House, by Democrats in Congress.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Pureeing the fresh strawberries gives the lemonade body, but also ensures the strawberry flavor isn’t diluted.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
15 May 2025
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This urine can simply be scattered around the ground, diluted into a fertilizer or disposed of in a toilet back home, depending on the situation.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 May 2025
Verb
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The writer-director’s smartest move is never to deny Colin his dignity, even when he’s humiliated for disappointing Ray or getting vigorously plowed on a table.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2025
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But who among us has not had a little marital spat over one person buying an entire hospital just to humiliate the other?—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
16 May 2025
Verb
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At its most depraved level, this is get-rich-quick music; these artist-grifters are like sycophantic workers debasing themselves for the Big Boss Algorithm.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
21 May 2025
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The site just becomes a generically unpleasant way of showing Mike debasing himself to meet the escalating prices.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In Colorado, for example, several AI companies recently lobbied to delay and weaken the state’s landmark AI accountability legislation — a preview of what unchecked industry influence could look like under a regulatory freeze.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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Their backing from the youngest voters weakened in 2024 (Catalist).—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 May 2025
Verb
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An embarrassing, humbling, shocking Game 5 defeat showed that. All the same problems, the ones that destroyed Leaf team after Leaf team and ultimately ended Sheldon Keefe’s time as head coach, are emerging again at the worst possible time.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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At least 144 structures were destroyed and parts of Highway 44 were shut down, said St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bastardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastardize. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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