1
as in reduces
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorates
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 humiliates
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
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 degrades
The goal is to understand exactly how and why performance degrades over time.
—
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025
Gasoline mixed with ethanol degrades even faster than pure gasoline and may not even last three months.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
The setup only degrades further over the four episodes screened for critics.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
In Brazil, wildcat gold mining degrades the Amazon rainforest and imperils Indigenous groups.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
This process degrades the mirrors' reflectivity and clarity over time, so technicians regularly recoat and polish them to ensure the best precision.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
That performance degrades over time.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
These help slow down the wear and tear that degrades most traditional joysticks over time.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
This rampant, unauthorized AI use degrades the educational experience of individual students who overly rely on the technology and those who wish to avoid using it.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2025
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025
Gasoline mixed with ethanol degrades even faster than pure gasoline and may not even last three months.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
The setup only degrades further over the four episodes screened for critics.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
In Brazil, wildcat gold mining degrades the Amazon rainforest and imperils Indigenous groups.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
This process degrades the mirrors' reflectivity and clarity over time, so technicians regularly recoat and polish them to ensure the best precision.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
That performance degrades over time.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
These help slow down the wear and tear that degrades most traditional joysticks over time.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
This rampant, unauthorized AI use degrades the educational experience of individual students who overly rely on the technology and those who wish to avoid using it.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades
Verb
-
According to the Department of Transportation, daylight saving time saves energy, prevents traffic injuries and reduces crime.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Cold water reduces those problems for all your clothes and linens, giving them a longer lifespan.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As the situation deteriorates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany among others have urged their nationals to leave Bamako.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Exposure to such content also deteriorates her audience’s ability to form beliefs on the basis of the evidence and primes them for skepticism toward consequential matters like vaccines and medicine.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To show him who’s boss, Catherine turns around and buys Pac-North, humiliates him by closing it, and forces him back to Grey Sloan.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
-
There’s always a moment in which somebody humiliates the villain and now all the love in him is gone.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Without light and air, the grass weakens and dies instead of going into winter dormancy.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
For many shrubs, pruning in the fall weakens the plant by spurring tender new growth that is vulnerable to coming frosts.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Kon subverts slasher tropes and nimbly toys with reality, constantly upending audience expectations and keeping us on our toes.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The ruched toe boxes are another style that playfully subverts the classic loafer design, offering an unfussy ease that helps soften more masculine tailoring.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Opponents argue that the new map dilutes the voting power of Black residents in eastern North Carolina.—
Adam Wagner,
NPR,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Yes, growth is tempting — launching podcasts, videos, new products — but every expansion dilutes focus.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
-
That’s another lazy phrase that demeans the dynamic of sport.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrades. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share