1
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
a singing career on the downgrade
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in downhill
a downward slope
the gentle downgrade of the parking area is designed for drainage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to demote
to bring to a lower grade or rank
increased automation resulted in many jobs in the factory being downgraded
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reduce
to diminish the price or value of
the company's filing for Chapter 11 downgraded the stock to the point where it was selling for pennies a share
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of downgrade
PC Magazine, 22 May 2025
Or how about the debt downgrade by Moody’s last Friday.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 May 2025
Solcyré Burga, Time, 20 May 2025
Standard & Poor’s downgraded the nation’s credit rating in 2011.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for downgrade
Noun
This is a significant downgrade compared with the 2024 model, which managed an excellent 22 hours and 14 minutes on the same test.
—PC Magazine, 22 May 2025
Or how about the debt downgrade by Moody’s last Friday.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 May 2025
Verb
The decrease marks the third time a major ratings agency has downgraded the U.S. in recent years, following S&P’s decision to do the same in 2011 and Fitch’s in 2023.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 20 May 2025
Standard & Poor’s downgraded the nation’s credit rating in 2011.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for downgrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downgrade
Noun
-
Sulzberger writes passionately about the existential threats facing a free press, from economic collapse to political intimidation, and how journalism must stand as a bulwark in a time of profound civic deterioration.—
Jessica Sibley,
Time,
19 May 2025
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Dan Wang Eurasia The 90-day tariff reduction and break does not guarantee a deal, especially given the deterioration of mutual trust between the U.S. and China, said Natixis’ senior economist Gary Ng.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
This extreme downhill snowboarding game sees Mario and Luigi on snowboards, while Peach opts for skis.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
10 Mar. 2025
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Except for March 22 when high winds caused the cancellation of the men’s and women’s downhill races, the 5850 Fest went off without a hitch.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Last month, Dhillon demoted senior attorneys who handled police abuse investigations to other low-level assignments, such as handling public records requests or adjudicating internal discrimination complaints.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Blackburn Rovers’ women’s team have been demoted from Women’s Super League 2 after the club decided against putting up the necessary funding for facilities, player welfare and staffing.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Verb
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An estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposals would reduce the number of people with health care by at least 7.6 million from the Medicaid changes, and possibly more with other changes to the Affordable Care Act.—
Kevin Freking,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2025
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In Sacramento, California, the weather service warned its office would have reduced staffing overnight.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
Adverb
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This time around in the United Kingdom, however, her discography is uniformly trending downward.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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In some cases, subduction-like activity — a process where one part of a planet's outer shell is forced downward into the hotter, deeper interior — occurs as hot plumes rise and push surface material outward and downward.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
19 May 2025
Noun
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White House spokesperson Kush Desai celebrated the decline in a statement Tuesday touting other news from the CPI report which also showed cooling inflation.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
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Harris and the White House also had to field frequent questions about Biden's cognitive abilities, as well as allegations that the administration intentionally hid the extent of the former president's decline from the American public during primary season.—
Anna Commander
Sonam Sheth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Noun
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The weekend’s total box office revenue reached $23.9 million, a dip from the previous frame, which was 23.9 million.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2025
-
Newfound Gap Use this dip in the mountain ridge to take in the surrounding scenery.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
18 May 2025
Noun
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Using her celebrity, Tabei was also an activist for environmental change in high-altitude regions, having grown appalled by the degradation of fragile mountain glaciers that was being caused by the mountaineering industry.—
Jenny Hall,
CNN Money,
14 May 2025
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To others, a symbol of degradation and objectification.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downgrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downgrade. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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