cheapening

verb

present participle of cheapen
1
as in reducing
to diminish the price or value of a glutted market cheapened cranberries to the point where they were selling for less than what it cost to grow them

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degrading
to lower in character, dignity, or quality a politician who would cheapen herself by caving in to lobbyists

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in humiliating
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes she really cheapens herself by shamelessly pursuing men like that

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cheapening There was only ever one copy of the album created, an intentional choice by RZA, the leader of the group, and Dutch Moroccan rapper and producer Cilvaringz, who felt the streaming age was cheapening music. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026 Far from cheapening or diluting Ibsen’s themes and conflicts, the action revitalizes them. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cheapening
  1. reducing
  2. degrading
  3. humiliating
  4. lowering
  5. corrupting
  6. discrediting
  7. weakening
  8. embarrassing
Verb
  • Following numerous noise complaints, the town is requiring players to use a new noise-reducing ball that is far more expensive than a regular ball.
    — Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • The company, which generated approximately $10 billion in revenue in 2025, is increasingly embedding AI across its equipment, digital platforms and dealer network to help farmers improve yields while reducing costs.
    — Peter High, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Chronic stress takes a serious toll on the body—accelerating aging, undermining cardiovascular health and degrading your immune and metabolic systems.
    — Shefali Raina, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Sports betting is degrading the financial health of the most vulnerable households, according to a new study that tees up an emerging political issue.
    — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of degrading
Verb
  • The Iranians are now setting the terms of this conflict and are routinely humiliating the American president.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Definition of humiliating
Verb
  • In addition to Medicare for All, his campaign centered on lowering prescription drug costs and banning corporate PAC money.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The town could also consider lowering the current 80-foot height allowance and requiring plans to remove equipment and hazardous materials if a facility closes.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of lowering
Verb
  • The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has reported that AI training data and inputs are being manipulated and warned that attackers could influence model behavior by corrupting the information AI systems rely upon.
    — Syed Ali, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Definition of corrupting
Verb
  • Kiryl Pazniak, 49, who hosted a popular political show on YouTube, has been convicted on the charges of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, the group said — accusations widely used by authorities to stifle critical voices.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
  • Defense attorney Tom Mesereau was an expert at discrediting witnesses, subjects told the filmmakers, but certain key witnesses, like Janet Arvizo, struggled to connect with the jury on their own.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Definition of discrediting
Verb
  • Israelis across political and religious lines are worried about the weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans — who, according to a recent AP poll, tend to consider support for Israel less crucial to their Jewish identity than older adults.
    — Giovanna Dell'Orto, Fortune, 31 July 2026
  • Today, some civil-society leaders, and even figures inside the establishment itself, fret that the regime’s heavy domestic hand is not only hurting Iranians but also weakening the country’s war effort.
    — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin more than four years after Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • Kyiv’s forces have targeted Russian oil facilities, causing fuel shortages and embarrassing President Vladimir Putin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of embarrassing

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Cite this Entry

“Cheapening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheapening. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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