as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the debasement of professional sports to a shamelessly commercial enterprise
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Recent Examples of debasement
Bakri’s face is impassive and exhausted during this casual debasement, his voice low, and his tone deadpan, as though Salim has been forced to do all this a million times before.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Investors who are particularly concerned about currency debasement or geopolitical instability — both of which have driven gold's price run in recent years — may also find the physical gold component meaningful.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Over and over, Colin takes stock of his own debasement.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Bitcoin has failed to respond to typical drivers like dollar weakness or geopolitical risk, unlike gold and silver which rallied to records as global tensions fueled fears about dollar debasement.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
Gold in particular has been buoyed by a mix of geopolitical tensions, fiscal uncertainty and concerns over currency debasement, forces that many believe remain firmly in place.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
The debasement trade has gained momentum on speculation that US authorities might be willing to work with their Japanese counterparts to support the yen — and thereby are open to a weaker greenback.
—Marcus Wong, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Powell did not directly address the longer-term debasement argument, but his emphasis on anchored expectations suggests the Fed sees little evidence that the gold rally reflects a fundamental erosion of monetary credibility.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
In this case, a life, however brief, that is clean and does not depend on the oppression and debasement of others.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Investors who are particularly concerned about currency debasement or geopolitical instability — both of which have driven gold's price run in recent years — may also find the physical gold component meaningful.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Over and over, Colin takes stock of his own debasement.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Bitcoin has failed to respond to typical drivers like dollar weakness or geopolitical risk, unlike gold and silver which rallied to records as global tensions fueled fears about dollar debasement.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
Gold in particular has been buoyed by a mix of geopolitical tensions, fiscal uncertainty and concerns over currency debasement, forces that many believe remain firmly in place.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
The debasement trade has gained momentum on speculation that US authorities might be willing to work with their Japanese counterparts to support the yen — and thereby are open to a weaker greenback.
—Marcus Wong, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Powell did not directly address the longer-term debasement argument, but his emphasis on anchored expectations suggests the Fed sees little evidence that the gold rally reflects a fundamental erosion of monetary credibility.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
In this case, a life, however brief, that is clean and does not depend on the oppression and debasement of others.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debasement
Noun
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Using a combination of durable ceramic materials and specialized membranes, the filtration unit can remove extremely small contaminants while maintaining stable operation through a self-cleaning thermal mechanism that prevents buildup and degradation over time.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
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Coupled with a significant degradation of Iranian military power, something already underway, these objectives would constitute an acceptable end to the war.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Over the past decade, United States Attorney’s Offices in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia have charged dozens of individuals in corruption and fraud schemes involving college coaches, players and athletic department personnel.—
Robert L. Boone,
Sportico.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Four people were charged Tuesday in connection a federal corruption investigation that has ensnared NYC Councilmember Farah Louis and a nonprofit providing homeless services to the city.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debasement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debasement. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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