degraded 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈgrā-dəd How to pronounce degraded (audio)
Definition of degradednext
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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degraded

2 of 2

verb

past tense of degrade
1
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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2
as in deteriorated
to lower in character, dignity, or quality degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume

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3
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
Energy analysts have consistently cautioned that raising Venezuelan output meaningfully will take years and billions of dollars in repairs to degraded infrastructure. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 That matters because degraded land is not simply an environmental concern. — Shooka Bidarian, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
My husband was humiliated, he was degraded, and not able to defend himself. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026 The invasion has raised European willingness to spend more on defense, and the fighting has badly degraded Russia’s armed forces. — Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for degraded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degraded
  1. corrupt
  2. reduced
  3. deteriorated
  4. humiliated
  5. sick
  6. demoted
  7. corrupted
  8. discredited
Adjective
  • The national Democratic effort to defeat Collins kept going; now the party is spending millions on an ad hitting her for a ProPublica story about her links to a corrupt defense contractor.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • For many voters, this view of Lula as corrupt is wrapped up with criticism of his economic policies and of the strong welfare state that the former union leader has come to embody.
    — Constance Malleret, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Verb
  • Bassam Abed said at least 10 residences housing some 300 families were reduced to rubble, and families were not given enough time to flee.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • That night’s show was reduced from 29 to 19 songs, between the concert running late from the interruption and Toomey likely not being able to duplicate Castronovo’s lead singing moments as well as his drumming.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • The central bank's monthly Survey of Consumer Expectations found that consumers expect inflation to be even higher a year from now, while perceptions about their own financial standing deteriorated.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • However, as Germany’s economic problems — slow growth, high inflation, rising energy prices — have worsened, public sentiment toward the newcomers has deteriorated.
    — Kirsten Grieshaber, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of deteriorated
Verb
  • One of its proof points was supposed to be Maine, where Graham Platner humiliated the party establishment, then himself.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But the Saudis, humiliated by their losses in Yemen, seem likely to lash out.
    — Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of humiliated
Adjective
  • Along with missing guard Dru Smith (right calf strain) and two-way contract forward Keshad Johnson (right hamstring strain) for the second straight exhibition game, the Heat was also without guard Pelle Larsson (sick) on Thursday.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Two types of influenza — A and B — are responsible for the seasonal flu epidemics that make people sick, according to the California Department of Public Health.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of sick
Verb
  • Wilson was eventually demoted, making Winston the primary backup.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Now, Webb has been publicly demoted to a figurehead role as offensive coordinator.
    — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of demoted
Verb
  • The audience is interacting with an object that had been scanned, that had been corrupted in some way.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Obama and Biden were corrupted by donors who wanted cheap labor.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of corrupted
Verb
  • The arrival of Dutch elm disease not only ravaged these green spaces, but discredited the whole goal of aiming for such uniformity.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The issue here is not with this project, which is building something artistic and beautiful, but with a broader, pro-AI tech culture that has discredited AI and its public image.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of discredited

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degraded
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Cite this Entry

“Degraded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degraded. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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