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
Our ideals have been bastardized.
—
William Mersey, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Short’s personality and complexity, attributes long discarded as her life became bastardized, stand in stark contrast to the inhumanity of her death.
—Nathan Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In both, to bastardize a saying, the play’s the thing.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Nov. 2025
The events meant to bring us together, like the Super Bowl or March Madness, have been bastardized into vehicles for ruinous addiction.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Additionally, adding the musical element further bastardizes this tale.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
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
William Mersey, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Short’s personality and complexity, attributes long discarded as her life became bastardized, stand in stark contrast to the inhumanity of her death.
—Nathan Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
In both, to bastardize a saying, the play’s the thing.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Nov. 2025
The events meant to bring us together, like the Super Bowl or March Madness, have been bastardized into vehicles for ruinous addiction.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Additionally, adding the musical element further bastardizes this tale.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastardize
Verb
-
While those also degrade over time, there are a few structures, like bone and teeth, that are very robust and protect proteins from the environment.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
-
For people with diabetes, heat degrades temperature‑sensitive medications and makes blood sugar harder to control.—
Anthony Nicome,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Kardashian subverted expectations at the 2021 Met Gala by arriving in a face-covering body stocking by Balenciaga.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
The inaugural season was about subverting expectations.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
An independent redistricting commission — transparent, balanced and insulated from the very political pressures that have corrupted this process.—
Daryl Campbell,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
In an era when youth sports can sometimes feel corrupted by money, pressure and adult ego, the Lee Corso Legacy Fund serves as a reminder of what sports are supposed to be about in the first place.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Revisions to four other districts across Richmond, southern Virginia and Hampton Roads would have diluted the voting power of conservative blocs in those areas.—
David A. Lieb,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Civil rights activists and Black lawmakers oppose the plans, arguing the new districts would dilute minority voting power and strip Black communities of representation.—
Kim Chandler,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Those who don’t get the job leave diminished, sometimes humiliated, and the institution absorbs the damage quietly for years.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
Blue is officially fired for injecting a patient with an unapproved drug, and in a devastating twist, he is humiliated by and forced to give his badge back to Richard in front of Catherine (Debbie Allen).—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Blanche is debasing himself and the law in this shameful pursuit.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
More than fifty golfers were willing to debase themselves in order to grab some of the Saudis’ cash.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As consumer activity has weakened, the central bank has warned about the growing misalignment between real sentiment and headline GDP growth.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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Heat can shrink fabrics, fade colors and weaken elastic fibers, which shortens the life of garments that would otherwise hold up for years.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Onions can be used as a companion plant to carrots to keep away the destructive carrot fly, a pest that can stunt the growth of carrots and even destroy entire plantings.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
-
If an Entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or destroyed, entrant’s sole remedy shall be another entry into the Sweepstakes.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bastardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastardize. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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