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
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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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This involves sealing all cracks, crevices and entry points with materials that won't degrade over time.
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Batteries degrade, actuators wear out, sensors drift, and every safety case has to hold.
Verb
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Only the United States was humiliated; both countries have experienced a catastrophic loss.
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However, they were then humiliated 2-1, after extra time, by second division side Torreense in the final.
Verb
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These movies are about shocking and surprising the audience by setting up an expectation and then subverting that expectation.
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Director Wes Craven executes a masterclass in tension, shock, and subverting expectations.
Verb
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Instead, they are encouraged to view blue zones primarily through the lens of a sloppy critique that has already been discredited.
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This doesn’t discredit the fact that mental and physical changes from menopause can be disorienting and jarring.
Verb
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Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer spending slowdown persisted in June, with growth during one of the country’s largest online shopping festivals weakening sharply from a year earlier.
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All three of those protagonists have been weakened in their roles by what has gone on.
Verb
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Racists dismissed them as lesser beings, demeaned them and made life hard for all people of color — whites-only facilities and hard jobs.
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Inspectors documented staff using demeaning language, displaying extremist imagery, and engaging in conduct that violated the Bureau’s own standards.
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.
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Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.
Verb
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And regular Kate Moss’s turn on the decks one memorable, and debauched, night in 2015 had revelers literally swinging from the chandeliers.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Debase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debase. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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