as in degrades
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew to the point where they no longer acted like naval professionals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debauches
Verb
-
Regular care maintains hygiene by preventing buildup, which degrades fabric and comfort over time.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026 -
The researchers note that lignin often degrades during extraction, while most current processing methods produce complicated mixtures of chemical compounds rather than simple, high-value molecules suitable for large-scale manufacturing.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 June 2026
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
-
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
-
There’s less maintenance and less investment in them, so the individual property deteriorates.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
-
When the foliage deteriorates in hot summer weather, cut back the foliage.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
But booze is a malicious, treacherous muse—an assassin who, before killing you, brutalizes you, humiliates you, and robs you of your words.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 June 2026
-
Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Restricting those channels weakens influence competitors have struggled to match.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
-
Iran’s government warned that any division at home over the deal weakens its negotiating position, and those criticizing negotiators are taking aim at a national decision.—
Julia Frankel,
Fortune,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
The ghost ultimately poisons her namesake.—
Nick Ripatrazone,
Literary Hub,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Seen through the lens of the Civil War and its aftermath, the piece subverts every expectation.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
The play subverts itself, never allowing an audience to gain a commanding foothill, even at the end when (suffice it to say) the watchers become the watched.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In order to emerge victorious in his quest to bring the World Cup to Mexico, De la Torre debases himself and backstabs shamelessly.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Freddy Krueger debases the suburban American ideal through the dreams of teenagers in Nightmare on Elm Street.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Debauches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debauches. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
