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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Use of this material has been proposed in the past, but has been hampered by the fact that making CNTs involves metals, and the residue left behind ends up degrading electrical performance.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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Briefly, however, while advocates say that isolating water conveyance from the Delta would improve habitat for fish and other wildlife, opponents contend that less water flowing through the estuary would further degrade its water quality.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Relative to previous presidents, Trump is much more willing to ignore the country’s interests and pursue goals that openly subvert them.—
Daniel Byman,
The Atlantic,
24 May 2025
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Both underscore how well this series, at its best, generates suspense from editing, while either subverting expectations or diabolically playing on common fears.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
19 May 2025
Verb
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The appointments are likely to increase concern that federal vaccine recommendations will be corrupted and lead to Americans losing access to lifesaving vaccines.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2025
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Rogen lands a few funny lines, but the jokes mostly serve to distract from the point of the story: that freedom is ephemeral and easily corrupted, while humans are inherently piggish (as opposed to the other way around), seizing the first opportunity to take more than their share.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Verb
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The process starts with extracting CBD from the plant, which is then diluted with coconut oil or hemp seed.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2025
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Similarly, the 34-game Major League Soccer schedule, plus numerous other matches played by many MLS standouts during the season, can dilute the quality of play by asking too much of players.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2025
Verb
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Ukrainians said they were subjected to beatings, electric shocks and dog attacks by Russian authorities, not only to extract information but to intimidate and humiliate them.—
Richard Engel,
NBC news,
11 June 2025
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Musk, who also owns SpaceX, had backed Isaacman, and felt betrayed and humiliated when Trump changed his mind, according to the report.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Read More: The Battle for Our Memory Is the Battle for Our Country But debasing our history through censorship and ideological cherry-picking insults the memory of the nine saints who were murdered at Mother Emanuel, desecrating its sacred space all over again.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
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An office that demands wisdom and restraint is now debased with churlish impulsivity, rambling incoherency and overt grift.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2025
Verb
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Since then, a series of shifts has reshaped the Middle East and weakened Iran and its proxies, the war in Gaza, Israel's decimation of the leadership of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the collapse of the Syrian regime, and now Israel's surprise attack.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
15 June 2025
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Should the economy unexpectedly weaken, larger and sooner cuts are possible.—
Simon Moore,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Verb
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If trillion-dollar bonds are required to contest trillion-dollar damages our government is causing, that destroys the protections our Constitution provides its citizens against the rule of tyrants.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 June 2025
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Ukraine underscored the risk to advanced military powers on June 1 when its inexpensive drones damaged or destroyed strategic warplanes across Russia.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bastardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastardize. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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