debauching

verb

present participle of debauch
as in corrupting
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of debauching The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts. — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debauching
  1. corrupting
  2. degrading
  3. weakening
  4. subverting
  5. deteriorating
  6. debasing
  7. poisoning
  8. humiliating
Verb
  • Validation rules, schema standards and completeness checks at the entry point prevent bad master data from corrupting everything downstream.
    — Jacqueline DeStefano-Tangorra, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Definition of corrupting
Verb
  • The Kremlin has also started to systematically target Ukrainian ports and ships in the Black Sea in hopes of degrading the infrastructure that supports the country’s agricultural exports.
    — Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026
  • In a public service announcement Thursday, the agencies said water and wastewater utilities have reported incidents to the FBI, with some malicious activity degrading water operations.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 31 July 2026
Definition of degrading
Verb
  • But the horrible jobs data suggests the central bank may have to think about weakening consumer spending as well.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit comes just after Missourians overwhelmingly voted against weakening the initiative petition process.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • No artist has had more fun subverting the conventions of the track ID than Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet.
    — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 July 2026
  • There must be accountability for Supreme Court justices that have taken part in subverting American democracy.
    — Oliver Adams Larkin, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026
Definition of subverting
Verb
  • Guzmán pointed to Colombia’s deteriorating fiscal position as the administration’s most immediate challenge.
    — Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The deteriorating security situation at sea is a huge challenge for everybody in the maritime shipping community.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of deteriorating
Verb
  • Most of us would deny that any socially useful work can be or should be debasing.
    — Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
  • Blanche is debasing himself and the law in this shameful pursuit.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of debasing
Verb
  • In the past farmers have been suspected of deliberately poisoning elephants to prevent them from eating crops.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • Historically used in dry cleaning or to degrease metal parts, the chemicals leaked into the base’s wells, poisoning the drinking water.
    — WUFT News, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
Definition of poisoning
Verb
  • The Iranians are now setting the terms of this conflict and are routinely humiliating the American president.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Definition of humiliating

Browse Nearby Words

debauches
debauching
debilitate
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Cite this Entry

“Debauching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debauching. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on debauching

Nglish: Translation of debauching for Spanish Speakers

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