1
as in degrades
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliates
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in behaves
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way
I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demeans
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
That’s another lazy phrase that demeans the dynamic of sport.
—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Most frustratingly, the secret traitor demeans us, the audience.
—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
That’s another lazy phrase that demeans the dynamic of sport.
—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demeans
Verb
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Trump, on the other hand, belittles and degrades people every day.
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This degrades your brake system’s stopping power, which reduces the overall safety of your vehicle.
Verb
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Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.
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Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.
Verb
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To tackle the issue, HEDI will focus on studying how matter behaves at extremely high temperatures and pressures.
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Despite this, last month, the Illinois legislature passed HB4273, a bill that behaves as though Illinois is still living in a mild‑weather past.
Verb
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When foreign investors pull money out of the country, demand for the rupiah drops, and the currency weakens.
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Every interaction either builds confidence or weakens it.
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.
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.
Verb
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While the list carries few immediate legal repercussions, it’s widely considered a red flag to investors that can precede more punitive trade restrictions.
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Each of the offenses carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Verb
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Forgetting his bond with the land, Mariano awakens the Ch’iqmi, a dark force that corrupts his people.
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One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.
Verb
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In the proud lineage of pint-sized blonde women who’ve held their own against Madonna, Carpenter acquits herself quite well.
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To fit all listening scenarios, like all DALI loudspeakers, KUPID also acquits itself at low and high volumes.
Cite this Entry
“Demeans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demeans. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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