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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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
Polysulfides dissolve and migrate, which degrades battery performance and shortens its lifespan.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 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
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
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades
Verb
-
This coating reduces absorbency, causes discoloration, and can trap bacteria and odors.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
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This robot vacuum reduces daily chores, keeping floors clean of dirt, dust, and pet hair with minimal effort.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Our hygiene deteriorates.—
Eli Sharabi,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
-
And Sacks, a PayPal Mafia member and veteran Silicon Valley investor, is just the sort of titan of industry this town routinely devours and humiliates — from Rex Tillerson to, well, Elon Musk.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Yuhas said rubbing could trigger keratoconus, an eye condition that weakens the cornea.—
Stephanie Brown,
Verywell Health,
30 Sep. 2025
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And the thymus gland, the producer of white blood cells, shrinks and weakens over time.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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DiCaprio, 50, subverts his Hollywood leading man image by wearing a ratty red robe, unkempt hair and oversized sunglasses as former revolutionary and current stoner Bob Ferguson, who is forced back into action to save himself and his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from paramilitary enforcers.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement The film largely follows the trajectory of the novel, but changes some details along the way—and adds one new, final twist that subverts the overall message of King's dystopian tale.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The map, which is awaiting Kehoe’s signature, dilutes Kansas City-area voters into three Republican-leaning districts.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
23 Sep. 2025
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That’s what dilutes the art and creates cookie-cutter songs where everyone starts sounding like each other.—
Christopher Claxton,
Billboard,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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 Oct. 2025.
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