Synonyms of degrade

degrade

verb

di-ˈgrād 

1

as in to reduce

to bring to a lower grade or rank

the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reduce
• demote
• downgrade
• dismiss
• can
• bust
• sack
• break
• disrate
• debase
• humiliate
• demean
• lay off
• downsize
• fire
• abase
• lower
• humble
• cashier

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• promote
• raise
• advance
• elevate
• hire

2

as in to deteriorate

to lower in character, dignity, or quality

degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deteriorate
• weaken
• humiliate
• subvert
• dilute
• destroy
• corrupt
• debase
• demean
• poison
• ruin
• lessen
• cheapen
• damage
• pervert
• pollute
• debauch
• deprave
• abase
• vitiate
• demoralize
• contaminate
• mar
• impair
• bastardize
• disgrace
• prostitute
• hurt
• taint
• warp
• dirty
• shame
• harm
• profane
• humble
• spoil
• canker
• defile
• thin
• tarnish
• wreck
• dishonor
• water down
• flaw
• stain
• befoul
• depreciate
• deface
• descend
• begrime
• downgrade
• take down
• blemish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improve
• elevate
• uplift
• enhance
• better
• honor
• exalt
• enrich
• ennoble
• amend
• perfect
• ameliorate
• restore
• dignify
• refine
• clarify
• purify
• clean
• cleanse
• respect
• meliorate

3

as in to humiliate

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes

the players degraded themselves with their crude antics off the field

Synonyms & Similar Words

• humiliate
• discredit
• embarrass
• debase
• demean
• confuse
• shame
• humble
• disgrace
• cheapen
• dishonor
• insult
• diminish
• abase
• rattle
• lower
• take down
• chasten
• minimize
• criticize
• detract
• foul
• smirch
• sink
• disparage
• belittle
• mortify
• depreciate
• ridicule
• confound
• disconcert
• defame
• faze
• malign
• discountenance
• decry
• defile
• condemn
• slander
• fluster
• libel
• discount
• castigate
• affront
• discomfit
• write off
• denounce
• abash
• put down
• cry down
• bad-mouth
• nonplus
• damn
• censure
• execrate
• reprehend
• reprobate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elevate
• exalt
• honor
• recognize
• aggrandize
• boast
• celebrate
• commend
• cite
• acknowledge
• applaud
• compliment
• decorate
• deify
• extol
• canonize
• congratulate
• tout
• praise
• cheer
• laud
• salute
• hail
• eulogize
• highlight
• promote
• acclaim
• ennoble
• glorify
• dignify
• magnify
• fete
• raise
• advance
• enshrine
• play up
• upgrade
• lift
• boost
• uplift
• enthrone
• spotlight
• idealize
• romanticize
• ensky

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of degrade

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

The filing argued the sequence of testing was critical because Othram's single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP, testing requires DNA that has not already been depleted or degraded through prior analysis. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026

If Iran continues succeeding in degrading those early warning systems, Israel would have to confront its missiles with less warning and thinner interception depth. — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 30 July 2026

But who has the time to wait for AI images to degrade naturally as they get passed around the Internet? — ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026