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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degrades
Venezuela may not be the sole source of cocaine, nor a major conduit for fentanyl, but dismantling a regime that actively protects and profits from transnational criminal networks unquestionably degrades those networks’ capacity to operate.
—
Timothy M. Herbst, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
But that study measured the shoes after 280 miles, leaving it unclear how much the foam degrades in 50 or 100 miles.
—Jonathan Beverly, Outside, 26 Dec. 2025
As the biofilm degrades, sludge settles in a secondary clarifier.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
Thawing permafrost is releasing iron and other minerals into rivers, which degrades drinking water.
—Matthew L. Druckenmiller, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
This is not a product that degrades over time.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Her current research focuses on trying to understand how human environmental DNA preserves and degrades in sediment through time — on both long and short timescales.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 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
Timothy M. Herbst, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
But that study measured the shoes after 280 miles, leaving it unclear how much the foam degrades in 50 or 100 miles.
—Jonathan Beverly, Outside, 26 Dec. 2025
As the biofilm degrades, sludge settles in a secondary clarifier.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
Thawing permafrost is releasing iron and other minerals into rivers, which degrades drinking water.
—Matthew L. Druckenmiller, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
This is not a product that degrades over time.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Her current research focuses on trying to understand how human environmental DNA preserves and degrades in sediment through time — on both long and short timescales.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades
Verb
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This reduces the risk of unforeseen physics complications needed for commercial operation, according to the Type One Energy.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Jan. 2026
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Metro also began a tap-to-exit program at certain high-crime stations, with the idea that removing fare-jumpers also reduces crime.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
Katerin Le Folcalvez,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
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The Kyiv Post reported Thursday that Ukrainian military officials say Russian units left inside the city are cut off from reliable supply lines and are increasingly surrendering as their position deteriorates.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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An overreliance on tools weakens our civilization (and saps the film’s dramatic thrills).—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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Ignoring this reality weakens any serious climate plan.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 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
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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Instead of a warning event, Expeditions imagines the historical fall that corrupts the Earth.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Maia and her boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hustcherson) are on the outs after Maia completely embarrasses herself at Dylan’s game night with his co-workers.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
21 Dec. 2025
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There, the father of the bride gets too drunk and embarrasses himself.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The film may initially present Man-su as a sympathetic family man trying to make ends meet, but Lee quickly subverts those sentiments once Man-su’s methodical process betrays no sense of remorse.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Their work—black-and-white portraits, still-lifes, and advertising shots, some now on view at Robert Mann gallery—subverts an education in Bauhaus severity with playful, quirky Surrealism.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrades. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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