1
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
we debase ourselves when we adopt the moral code and behavior of our despised enemies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
our failure to win a single game completely debased us
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debase
No one wants to be a jester, debasing oneself for a more powerful person’s amusement.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
In a new Instagram post shared on Tuesday, the composer behind the HBO show’s memorable soundtrack described an industry that debases its own art and the people who make it for the sake of consumerism.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
Haphazardly propped on the ground with wiring and hardware exposed, the flags appear as symbols debased and emptied after centuries of misuse.
—Rachel Wetzler, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Since the summer of 2025, antiforeigner sentiment—fueled by false or exaggerated claims about migrant workers committing crimes, foreign residents draining welfare coffers, or international tourists debasing Japanese culture—has taken hold in Japanese politics.
—Gracia Liu-Farrer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debase
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
In a new Instagram post shared on Tuesday, the composer behind the HBO show’s memorable soundtrack described an industry that debases its own art and the people who make it for the sake of consumerism.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
Haphazardly propped on the ground with wiring and hardware exposed, the flags appear as symbols debased and emptied after centuries of misuse.
—Rachel Wetzler, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Since the summer of 2025, antiforeigner sentiment—fueled by false or exaggerated claims about migrant workers committing crimes, foreign residents draining welfare coffers, or international tourists debasing Japanese culture—has taken hold in Japanese politics.
—Gracia Liu-Farrer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debase
Verb
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The country’s ministry of culture and sports set out a series of rules and regulations which included no pyro, no face paint and no shouting of words that could be degrading towards any person on the field, not even the referee.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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The bones also were coated with a light layer of minerals from the surrounding seawater, which may have prevented them from degrading.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Bryan’s stumbling responses, under questioning from the legendary defense lawyer Clarence Darrow, left him humiliated.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
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Even prestigious law firms are being humiliated, with some perpetrators getting slapped with fines and facing discipline from the Bar.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Vanessa Rossetto has built her entire artistic practice out of subverting listeners’ expectations.—
Levi Dayan,
Pitchfork,
9 June 2026
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Seen through the lens of the Civil War and its aftermath, the piece subverts every expectation.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Verb
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News organizations have always faced scrutiny from targets frustrated by elements of their reporting, or looking to discredit those stories altogether.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
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Those accusations have long been discredited.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The screenplay grows more complex and rewarding as the central relationship weakens, effectively forcing Sonya to deal with her exhausting boyfriend (Levon Hawke) and pushing Coley to connect with her father who, for whatever reason, spends a lot of time hand-making turquoise jewelry.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
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This, of course, is problematic for the homegrown haters because the opposing opinion from neutral outsiders weakens their argument and should strengthen our resolve.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The imagery was largely criticized for echoing long-standing racist tropes that have historically been used to demean Black Americans.—
Ana Ceballos
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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With that framing, his followers could demean Black protesters and vilify federal agents and Jews, notably those who linked arms with their Black neighbors to demand equal rights — as the rabbi at Beth Israel had increasingly done before Bowers’ henchmen bombed his synagogue and then his home.—
Jennifer Berry Hawes,
ProPublica,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Americans are angry that their kids are being indoctrinated into a left-wing ideology intended to infiltrate their hearts and corrupt their moral center.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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Others have argued against the premise of the rules altogether, disputing the assertion that the City Council is being, or could be, corrupted by outside money.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
Verb
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In its archetypal form, the seduction plot features a sybaritic aristocrat who attempts to debauch an upstanding daughter of the bourgeoisie.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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The role of these face coverings, as well as adding to the spectacle of the party, was to free people from the shackles of their class and status and enable a more liberated, often debauched, send-up.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debase. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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