Synonyms of degrades

degrades

verb

present tense third-person singular of degrade

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

• reduces
• demotes
• dismisses
• downgrades
• breaks
• busts
• demeans
• debases
• disrates
• sacks
• humiliates
• downsizes
• lowers
• fires
• lays off
• cans
• humbles
• abases
• cashiers

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• promotes
• advances
• raises
• elevates
• hires

2

as in deteriorates

to lower in character, dignity, or quality

degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deteriorates
• weakens
• corrupts
• humiliates
• subverts
• dilutes
• demeans
• destroys
• debases
• lessens
• poisons
• pollutes
• debauches
• cheapens
• damages
• vitiates
• perverts
• abases
• demoralizes
• disgraces
• taints
• prostitutes
• impairs
• depraves
• warps
• shames
• ruins
• mars
• bastardizes
• contaminates
• profanes
• hurts
• thins
• humbles
• harms
• dishonors
• dirties
• tarnishes
• defiles
• cankers
• wrecks
• flaws
• spoils
• waters down
• descends
• depreciates
• defaces
• befouls
• stains
• begrimes
• takes down
• downgrades
• blemishes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improves
• elevates
• ennobles
• uplifts
• enhances
• exalts
• enriches
• dignifies
• honors
• restores
• ameliorates
• perfects
• refines
• cleans
• amends
• clarifies
• purifies
• betters
• respects
• cleanses
• meliorates

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• humiliates
• discredits
• embarrasses
• demeans
• shames
• debases
• confuses
• humbles
• dishonors
• disgraces
• cheapens
• lowers
• diminishes
• abases
• rattles
• insults
• chastens
• criticizes
• takes down
• detracts
• minimizes
• ridicules
• sinks
• belittles
• disparages
• fouls
• depreciates
• mortifies
• smirches
• confounds
• disconcerts
• maligns
• decries
• defames
• discomfits
• defiles
• condemns
• flusters
• castigates
• slanders
• discountenances
• fazes
• denounces
• discounts
• affronts
• libels
• writes off
• abashes
• damns
• nonpluses
• cries down
• bad-mouths
• puts down
• censures
• execrates
• reprehends
• reprobates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elevates
• exalts
• cites
• recognizes
• celebrates
• aggrandizes
• deifies
• commends
• boasts
• acknowledges
• decorates
• extols
• applauds
• hails
• praises
• lauds
• salutes
• canonizes
• congratulates
• honors
• cheers
• touts
• eulogizes
• compliments
• acclaims
• highlights
• promotes
• ennobles
• magnifies
• fetes
• dignifies
• glorifies
• enshrines
• advances
• spotlights
• boosts
• raises
• lifts
• uplifts
• enthrones
• plays up
• idealizes
• upgrades
• romanticizes
• enskies

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of degrades

According to fragrance company Goldfield & Banks, an 18-degree increase in temperature degrades perfume twice as fast. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026

For example, Arnold and his colleagues discovered a technique that degrades proteins that hold synapses together, deleting them from neurons en masse. — Simon Makin, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026

At rates exceeding the cap, the internet degrades and is no longer usable. — Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

My observations have been that when human capital is treated as a purely algorithmic input, workplace culture degrades and strategic talent development stops. — Syed Ahmad, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

However, doing so degrades the signal and leads to data-reading errors. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026

Rich Handel, resident laundry expert at Consumer Reports, warns that mixing heavy fabrics like denim with delicate garments increases friction and degrades the softer material. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026

Annual cultivation — the plow, plant, harvest and repeat cycle — strains soil formation, which takes thousands of years and rapidly degrades the farmland. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

The team also did impedance measurements to find out how fast the protection degrades. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026