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
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2
as in deteriorates
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume
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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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Recent Examples of degrades
Constantly using more fertilizer than crops require degrades the soil’s natural microbiome, making soil less productive over time, which requires farmers to use more fertilizer to compensate.
—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
When asked to comment, Apple pointed to previous statements, saying that the DMA discourages innovation, weakens privacy protections, delays or degrades product launches and increases security risks.
—Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition that slowly degrades the body's motor neurons, which enable normal muscle functions like moving, speaking, eating, and breathing.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
That process extends shelf life but also degrades the live enzymes and micronutrients that make fresh juice worth drinking in the first place.
—Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Most retinol products are restricted to nighttime use because the ingredient degrades in sunlight, so this flexibility is a genuine differentiator.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Phase 1 degrades military power and holds hostage the regime’s economic lifelines.
—Richard Goldberg, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
And the implants can sometimes move or cause scar tissue buildup over time that degrades their signals.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
Vigilance degrades; that is its nature.
—Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Mar. 2026
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
When asked to comment, Apple pointed to previous statements, saying that the DMA discourages innovation, weakens privacy protections, delays or degrades product launches and increases security risks.
—Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition that slowly degrades the body's motor neurons, which enable normal muscle functions like moving, speaking, eating, and breathing.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
That process extends shelf life but also degrades the live enzymes and micronutrients that make fresh juice worth drinking in the first place.
—Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Most retinol products are restricted to nighttime use because the ingredient degrades in sunlight, so this flexibility is a genuine differentiator.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Phase 1 degrades military power and holds hostage the regime’s economic lifelines.
—Richard Goldberg, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
And the implants can sometimes move or cause scar tissue buildup over time that degrades their signals.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
Vigilance degrades; that is its nature.
—Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades
Verb
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This ceiling reduces the effective tax benefit from 37% to 35%.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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This approach reduces the chance of a single point of failure bringing down an entire system and ensures appropriate AI boundaries that keep human intelligence at the center of business decisions that matter.—
Anita Beveridge-Raffo,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Her condition rapidly deteriorates to the point where Abbott and Robby are forced to do a C-Section in the ER, with seconds to spare to save her life and the life of the baby.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
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Originally staged at Avignon in 2025, the play follows a father and daughter whose bond is tested across the vastness of space as one of them starts a new life on Mars while Earth deteriorates.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Later that season, Eric humiliates Bill in front of their Pierpoint colleagues by insulting his work quality and Bill dies from brain cancer.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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Thecla humiliates him by ripping his robe and tearing the wreath off his head.—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The exit of thousands of DOJ lawyers weakens law enforcement for many years to come, former DOJ lawyers told USA TODAY.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
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Abbott contends the policy weakens statewide coordination with federal authorities.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The praiseworthyness of having both sides of the debate evaporates when the host actively discredits the expert and reflexively enhances the legitimacy of the conspiracy theorist.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
1 Dec. 2025
-
Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His relationship with his Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, grows closer as Nazi power corrupts France.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
As Jay Jonah Atterbury, one of a handful of new characters on the fourth season of Industry, Kal Penn weaponizes and corrupts the stoner quirks viewers may recognize from his years playing Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar films.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
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But the stunt goes south as Wooley turns out to be an unabashed bigot who embarrasses the show and gets scolded by the host.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The story begins on a train, somewhat subverts the typical strangers-on-a-train narrative in which a chance encounter leads to a love story (that is, the Linklater version rather than the Hitchcock one).—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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The play subverts itself, never allowing an audience to gain a commanding foothill, even at the end when (suffice it to say) the watchers become the watched.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrades. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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