DEGRADED Synonyms: 221 Similar and Opposite Words

degraded 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈgrā-dəd

Definition of degraded

as in corrupt

having or showing lowered moral character or standards many observers deplored the fact that the city's festivities for Mardi Gras had become a degraded, drunken celebration

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

degraded

2 of 2

verb

past tense of degrade

as in reduced

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

as in deteriorated

to lower in character, dignity, or quality degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in humiliated

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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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 degraded

Adjective

Her days are spent growing coral fragments in nurseries, cleaning restoration structures, managing coral predators and transplanting coral onto degraded reefs. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study. — Siddhant Pusdekar, Quanta Magazine, 1 June 2026

Verb

Israel’s military campaigns have significantly degraded Hezbollah, while public opinion in Lebanon has increasingly turned against the group, blaming it for repeatedly dragging the country into unnecessary wars. — Anthony Wanis-St John, The Conversation, 10 July 2026 Patented techniques exist that alter a film's audio track just enough to be undetectable to a paying audience but detectable, and degraded, on a bootlegged copy. — Damion Taylor, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for degraded

Recent Examples of Synonyms for degraded

Adjective

But when it’s tied to a famously corrupt institution like FIFA, the claims of grave injustice intensify and feel almost like the buildup to war.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 14 July 2026
The Chinese variant actually stimulates economic activity as corrupt officials sell the rights to monetize unproductive state assets to private enterprises.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 July 2026

Definition of corrupt

Verb

Demand for oil plunged during the war because supply fell sharply and many folks reduced their oil consumption.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Trump reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah by about 90% each, undoing protections established by former presidents on public lands that are sacred among many Native Americans.

— Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 14 July 2026

Definition of reduced

Verb

The relationship between Cassidy and Kennedy has deteriorated after Cassidy criticized Kennedy’s vaccine policies.

— Helen Branswell, STAT, 15 July 2026
What began as a low-level juvenile case became five years in secure custody as his behavior deteriorated and new charges accumulated.

— Christina Buttons, Washington Post, 14 July 2026

Definition of deteriorated

Adjective

Lake Jesup, one of Central Florida’s largest water bodies, is also one of its sickest.

— Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
What To Do Now Just washing produce doesn’t typically get rid of cyclospora, so the best way to avoid getting sick is to avoid food that could’ve been contaminated.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 17 July 2026

Definition of sick

Verb

Last summer, Crystal Palace were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League because co-owner John Textor held shares in both Palace and Lyon, who had also qualified for the Europa League.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Scheublin wasn’t demoted to a borough command post until January 2026, having at that point been the subject of a criminal investigation for a year.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026

Definition of demoted

Verb

Green said earlier this year that Adebayo shouldn’t be underestimated and his 83-point game against Washington shouldn’t be discredited.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
Instead, they are encouraged to view blue zones primarily through the lens of a sloppy critique that has already been discredited.

— Torie Bosch, STAT, 20 June 2026

Definition of discredited

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“Degraded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degraded. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of degraded

adjective

verb

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