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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degrade
Munitions and oil facilities Military attacks degrade air quality in other ways.
—
Armin Sorooshian, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Some are achievable, such as degrading Iran’s conventional force.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Look for an ammonia-free solution, because anything that's too strong or that contains harsh chemicals can degrade lens coatings over time.
—Jacob Little, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Returning car traffic to Silver Lake and Forest Parks reduced and degraded this affordable antidote.
—Jon Orcutt, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Armin Sorooshian, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Some are achievable, such as degrading Iran’s conventional force.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Look for an ammonia-free solution, because anything that's too strong or that contains harsh chemicals can degrade lens coatings over time.
—Jacob Little, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Returning car traffic to Silver Lake and Forest Parks reduced and degraded this affordable antidote.
—Jon Orcutt, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrade
Verb
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In the kitchen, ingredients are sourced locally to reduce carbon footprint and maintain freshness.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Their goal was to get control over their local water supply like their neighbors, in order to upgrade deteriorating infrastructure and rein in rising water rates.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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The turtle slows, more organisms attach, and the animal’s condition deteriorates.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At one point in his teenage years, Diaz was publicly humiliated by the football team who forcefully shaved his curly hair.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Walz and Ellison were humiliated and could not account for their blundering.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Just beware of adding something really wacky—like raisins—or you’ll be put on potluck probation and demoted to plate-and-napkin duty.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
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They were last demoted to England’s second tier in 1977 and have only spent one season outside the top division since 1950.—
Joe Prince-Wright,
NBC news,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When presidents sidestep formal addresses and Congress declines to insist upon them, the deliberative architecture of the republic weakens.—
Kenneth Zagacki,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Mar. 2026
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High supply and weakening renter demand have apartment landlords living in an ever-more competitive space.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Major news outlets are undeterred by the administration’s criticism, recognizing that attempts to deter and discredit wartime reporting are as old as war coverage itself.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Defense attorneys have sought to discredit the prosecution's star witness, Carmen Lauber, a housekeeper for the family who claimed to have sold Richins fentanyl on multiple occasions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With Manhunt, Felker-Martin subverts this convention, creating a post-contagion world in which trans women (and men and nonbinary people) not only exist but tell the story themselves across multiple viewpoint characters.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
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The seven-part limited series, which aired its second episode Sunday, subverts expectations at every turn, from its peculiar characters to the layered storytelling of writer-showrunner-director Steven Conrad to the nuanced performances of an enviable cast.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Americans were left to root for the same team that embarrassed them, and that team delivered.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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On Tuesday night, as the NFL world reeled with the Maxx Crosby news and the NBA was starry-eyed at Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game, the rest of us were watching Team Italy embarrass the good ol’ US of A with an 8-6 win in the World Baseball Classic.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrade. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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