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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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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
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.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Far from cheapening or diluting Ibsen’s themes and conflicts, the action revitalizes them.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026
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.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 8 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
Verb
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The price tag comes from the California State Auditor’s report that was issued last fall, which found that maintaining similar telework policies could potentially save $225 million annually by reducing the government’s office space footprint.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2026
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An April 2026 analysis identified 446 hospitals across 44 states at high risk of closing or reducing services because of Medicaid funding cuts.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Damaged pans may be harder to use safely and may continue degrading with heat, cleaning and metal utensils.—
Ryan Brennan
June 2,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
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Years of degrading the Star Wars legacy with terrible, unwatchable streaming series and the disappointing end of the previous trilogy have taken their toll.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
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In her report, Soto accused Sibrian of allegedly mocking and humiliating her for her accent, immigration status and race and calling her stupid.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
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State caseworkers have sent an untold number of elders in their care to a coterie of homes with a history of hurting, ignoring or humiliating their residents, records and anguished families say.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Muskiet added that the true blood-pressure-lowering effect of GLP-1s may actually be underestimated in the review.—
Fran Kritz,
Verywell Health,
4 June 2026
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Last season, Tyler Guyton allowed 31 quarterback pressures in just 10 games, and lowering that number will be crucial in lowering Prescott’s overall cleanliness in the pocket after being pressured the sixth-most of any quarterback last season.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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An early discussion about social contracts comes down to us in Plato’s dialogue Crito in which Socrates, condemned to death for allegedly corrupting the youth, refused an offer to escape from prison.—
George G. Szpiro,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Orbán’s rule was marked by a sprawling media ecosystem, which for years served as a loyal mouthpiece for his Fidesz party while discrediting, defaming and intimidating his opponents.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
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My fear is that poor implementation and, above all, a failure to take accountability seriously will end up discrediting good ideas.—
Rachel Canter,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In conclusion, autonomous AI risks undermining the essential human spirit of science and weakening its role as an arbiter of social conflicts.—
Mohammad Hosseini,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
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Critics argue the measures risk worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis on the island without meaningfully weakening the government.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Then to Sydney Harbour, the very scene of that embarrassing capsize exactly a year earlier, and the Americans won the event outright for a first win since October 2023.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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Lutnick's voluntary closed-door interview comes amid a monthslong procession of powerful people summoned before the committee, many of whom have been subjected to embarrassing revelations in the more than 3 million pages of records known as the Epstein files.—
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cheapening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheapening. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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