1
as in degrades
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 humiliates
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 debases
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
Freddy Krueger debases the suburban American ideal through the dreams of teenagers in Nightmare on Elm Street.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
Freddy Krueger debases the suburban American ideal through the dreams of teenagers in Nightmare on Elm Street.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debases
Verb
-
Unlike conventional electronics that rely on plastics and heavy metals, the MEG degrades safely after use.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 May 2026
-
It gets tested every year because the device degrades and conditions change.—
Barbara Wittmann,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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And the President doesn’t seem to mind if Vance humiliates himself running errands.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Subtract what weakens the system.—
Nilton Bernini,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Teams evolve at different speeds, innovation concentrates among a small subset of employees, and trust across the organization weakens.—
Matt Rosenbaum,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The praiseworthyness of having both sides of the debate evaporates when the host actively discredits the expert and reflexively enhances the legitimacy of the conspiracy theorist.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
1 Dec. 2025
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
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The criticism most often leveled at proposals to support journalism is that government money corrupts editorial independence, which is a very real concern.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Although the Western genre is an ever-present influence, Grisebach subverts some of its tropes.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
22 May 2026
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The story begins on a train, somewhat subverts the typical strangers-on-a-train narrative in which a chance encounter leads to a love story (that is, the Linklater version rather than the Hitchcock one).—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Most frustratingly, the secret traitor demeans us, the audience.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
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That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debases.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debases. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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