DEGRADES Synonyms: 174 Similar and Opposite Words

degrades

verb

present tense third-person singular of degrade

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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as in deteriorates

to lower in character, dignity, or quality degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of degrades Regular care maintains hygiene by preventing buildup, which degrades fabric and comfort over time. —

Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 15 June 2026 The researchers note that lignin often degrades during extraction, while most current processing methods produce complicated mixtures of chemical compounds rather than simple, high-value molecules suitable for large-scale manufacturing. —

Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026 Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which degrades collagen and slows barrier recovery. —

Allison Palmer updated June 13, Miami Herald, 13 June 2026 At the same time, companies that aggressively reduced headcount in favor of automation are discovering that their experience degrades when human judgment, empathy and context are removed. —

Cerys Goodall, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 Scientists are investigating whether BEMT degrades in pool water. —

Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 June 2026 Optical systems are blazing fast but require a direct line of sight and fail in murky water or when the buildup of microorganisms degrades the lenses. —

Omar Kardoudi june 06, New Atlas, 6 June 2026 The only caveat is that ceramic-coated cookware, like Teflon, isn’t designed for high-heat and degrades over time. —

Ryan Brennan june 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026 Open burning occurs both intentionally and unintentionally, the latter when open dump sites containing organic waste spontaneously combust due to heat generated as the waste degrades. —

Ellen M. Considine, The Conversation, 2 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades

Verb

The future demands a neutral, interoperable and intelligent global trade infrastructure that reduces friction, expands inclusion and restores trust across borders.

— Meelan Gupta, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
The firm argued that eliminating cooling equipment reduces both upfront costs and operational complexity.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026