1
as in to reduce
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deteriorate
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to humiliate
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
made degrading comments about his so-called friend behind his back
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in reducing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorating
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in humiliating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degrade
David A. Deptula, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2025
Smoke from the blazes has degraded air quality across Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the northeastern United States.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 June 2025
Much like Ventura, Jane said she was also plied with drugs to keep her awake performing degrading acts, sometimes for days on end.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2025
Scripts degrading or becoming inaccessible could account for some of the disorientation caused by memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
—Quanta Magazine, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Verb
And an extensive set of military actions waged over several years in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria had already severely degraded Iran’s regional proxies, blunting Tehran’s ability to retaliate.
—David A. Deptula, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2025
Smoke from the blazes has degraded air quality across Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the northeastern United States.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
But while the Internet is torn over whether Carpenter’s submissive position on the Man’s Best Friend cover is funny or degrading, Whoopi Goldberg was more concerned with something else.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 June 2025
Much like Ventura, Jane said she was also plied with drugs to keep her awake performing degrading acts, sometimes for days on end.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
Verb
Flint Flint even says its batteries can work for a short period of time when lit with an open flame or damaged, ultimately degrading without causing a catastrophic event.
—New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2025
Scripts degrading or becoming inaccessible could account for some of the disorientation caused by memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
—Quanta Magazine, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrade
Adjective
-
The fourth-year coach is having none of it, dismissing outside opinions as irrelevant and insulting.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Aug. 2025
-
And slandering council members, who publicly supported Madigan before Khadija Walker was nominated, is disrespectful and insulting.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
No racist stereotypes, no demeaning facial expressions, no bowed heads, and no broken bodies from the old Hollywood.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
Or the controversy over the stereotypically demeaning roles Black actors depicted.—
Paula L. Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Here is another example from my work: a luxury brand facing daily phishing attacks receives real-time alerts with direct links to malicious sites, allowing their legal team to act immediately.—
Dima Raketa,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Whether for malicious purposes or simply research, someone appears to be using OpenAI’s open-source model for ransomware attacks, according to antivirus company ESET.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
During the call, Jacob’s father allegedly heard Donald screaming derogatory names at Jacob in the background, the complaint added.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
11 Aug. 2025
-
Today the phrase is most often derogatory in tone; those who still speak unironically of social justice are generally publicists, consultants, and resistance grifters on Instagram.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, virtually every female character is colored by the legacy of toxic males: pervy pastors, deadbeat dads, abusive boyfriends, murderous cretins.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 Aug. 2025
-
In the book, Rudy is driven to become a lawyer because his abusive father hated lawyers.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Living the Values: Nothing is more disparaging for employees than having a leader who demonstrates behaviors that do not align with the organizational values, and no one seems to care.—
Tony Gambill,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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The 2023 Economic Report Of The President published in March of 2023 was relatively disparaging of cryptoassets and DLTs.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Sitting 5 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot with a 64-66 record, the Rangers have floundered at a critical time, losing their past four series while on a 3-11 skid coming into Friday’s game.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Aug. 2025
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These countries act as more than just mere final destinations for shark meat consumption, operating as critical hubs that receive products from around the world, process them, and send them onward to other markets.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrade. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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