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
This is dangerous and degrades our country -- where are Senate Republicans?
—
Justin Gomez, ABC News, 6 Feb. 2026
The reactor facilitates rapid heat dissipation, preventing the thermal runaway that typically degrades catalysts.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
Since genetic material degrades over time, mapping the genome of animals like these that died thousands of years ago is incredibly difficult.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Jan. 2026
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
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
Justin Gomez, ABC News, 6 Feb. 2026
The reactor facilitates rapid heat dissipation, preventing the thermal runaway that typically degrades catalysts.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
Since genetic material degrades over time, mapping the genome of animals like these that died thousands of years ago is incredibly difficult.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Jan. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades
Verb
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By leveraging light to enhance oxygen electrochemistry, the approach reduces energy losses and extends device lifetime without relying on precious metals.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The hostage standoff ultimately reduces both men into victims, revealing where power really lies.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Emily Demirdonder, director of operations and marketing at Proximity Plumbing, said the rubber backing deteriorates in hot water and breaks apart during the spin cycle, and those fragments can block drain pumps and drainage pipes—sometimes leading to flooding and machine failure.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
28 Jan. 2026
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Staying at home when weather deteriorates will allow essential personnel to travel more safely to work.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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When the vortex weakens, that tight circle becomes wavier, akin to how a slow-moving river tends to meander in bends across the landscape, Swain says.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
9 Feb. 2026
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In contrast to conventional recycling, which weakens fibers and limits how they can be reused, Uplift360’s non-degenerative method produces material that can go straight back into high-performance supply chains.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 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
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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
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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Gourault often subverts the extractivist logic of new media technologies and employs open-source investigation in the production of his films.—
Farren Fei Yuan,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
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The textured outer elevates even the most basic outfits, while the oxblood hue subtly subverts expectations.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrades. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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