degraded; degrading; degrades
Definition of degrade
1a
: to lower in grade, rank, or status : demote
b
: to strip of rank or honors
c
: to lower to an inferior or less effective level
degrade the image quality
d
: to scale down in desirability or salability
2a
: to bring to low esteem or into disrepute
his actions have degraded his profession punishments intended to humiliate and degrade prisoners
b
: to drag down in moral or intellectual character : corrupt
the Indians who consume peyote buttons do not seem to be … morally degraded by the habit— Aldous Huxley
3
: to impair in respect to some physical property
material degraded by exposure to sunlight
4
geology
: to wear down by erosion
degraded the hillside
1
: to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower
causes the meat to degrade in quality
2
of a chemical compound
: to become reduced in complexity
plastics that don't easily degrade
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for degrade
The first known use of degrade was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century