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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degrades
Dendrite growth degrades battery performance and can cause internal short-circuits, making fast charging particularly dangerous.
—
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
For investigators, that extra time means memories fade and evidence degrades.
—Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
Organizations celebrate productivity metrics while quality quietly degrades.
—Tarun Galagali, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
If information sharing degrades after CISA 2015’s sunset, hospitals–and all other critical infrastructure–very likely will lose crucial early warnings about ransomware variants and other attack methods.
—Cynthia Kaiser, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2025
The fossil record on Sulawesi is sparse, and ancient DNA degrades more rapidly in the region’s tropical climate.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
The body degrades creatine, turning it into creatinine.
—Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2025
Hazing is generally defined as an activity or action as a condition of joining or participating in a group that endangers, embarrasses or degrades a person.
—Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2025
If the situation at the front significantly degrades, Zelensky will feel more pressure at home to enter into talks about ending the war, even if that means a disadvantageous ceasefire.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
For investigators, that extra time means memories fade and evidence degrades.
—Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
Organizations celebrate productivity metrics while quality quietly degrades.
—Tarun Galagali, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
If information sharing degrades after CISA 2015’s sunset, hospitals–and all other critical infrastructure–very likely will lose crucial early warnings about ransomware variants and other attack methods.
—Cynthia Kaiser, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2025
The fossil record on Sulawesi is sparse, and ancient DNA degrades more rapidly in the region’s tropical climate.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
The body degrades creatine, turning it into creatinine.
—Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2025
Hazing is generally defined as an activity or action as a condition of joining or participating in a group that endangers, embarrasses or degrades a person.
—Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2025
If the situation at the front significantly degrades, Zelensky will feel more pressure at home to enter into talks about ending the war, even if that means a disadvantageous ceasefire.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades
Verb
-
This not only reinforces clarity, but also reduces the reliance on employees having to scribble notes word for word to decode later.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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But prorating three years of player profits down to 12 months, as UEFA’s rule does, reduces the immediate efficacy of successful trading in the market, the very strategy that poorer clubs increasingly rely on to climb the ladder.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This means green signals are inherently weaker, and when outdoor sunlight adds noise, the measurement range shrinks even further, and accuracy deteriorates.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
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When trust between boards and CEOs deteriorates, cracks spread quickly.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Bottom line—moving Space Command headquarters weakens our national security at the worst possible time.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
3 Sep. 2025
-
If employees rely on tools only for quick answers, curiosity weakens.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Task subverts expectations without sanctimony.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
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At the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, a team of researchers revealed how Gemini can be weaponized via Targeted Promptware Attacks—malware that subverts Gemini through its input prompts.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Chasing broad keywords dilutes value.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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That’s another lazy phrase that demeans the dynamic of sport.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Liposuction surgically removes fat cells, while cryolipolysis freezes and destroys them.—
Bryant Stamford,
The Courier-Journal,
29 Aug. 2025
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But the loving couple’s equilibrium hits a major bump when a freak coastal storm destroys Theo’s new building before its inauguration and viral videos compound his humiliation.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrades. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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