debasement

American  

[dih-beys-muhnt] / dɪˈbeɪs mənt /

noun

1. the act of reducing the quality or value of something.

   The moment any paper currency is firmly linked back to gold, the debasement of paper money stops.

2. the fact or state of being lowered in dignity, character, or importance.

   Rich and greedy, he chose debasement, disgrace, and dishonorable practices in order to get even richer.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-debasement
  noun

Etymology

Origin of debasement

debase ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

Explanation

Debasement is the process of spoiling something or reducing its value by combining it with another material. Debasement can also refer to degrading or disgracing someone. The noun debasement can be used in an economic context to mean "lower the value of currency or money," usually referring to coins made of gold or silver that has been mixed with cheaper metals. In the old days, debasement generally meant the removal of someone's knighthood: "The knight's treasonous actions meant certain debasement by the king." Today you might hear someone complain about the debasement of politics caused by big money.

Example Sentences

Debasement refers to investors’ and traders’ concerns about the value of the dollar and other currencies.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Debasement happens when a monetary regime loses credibility—think Zimbabwe in the early 2000s or Argentina over much of the past half-century.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Debasement fears seem to be everywhere—except the one place they should be most obvious: bonds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

Debasement of paper currencies “is forcing people to start to look at gold,” Boyd said.

From BusinessWeek • Jul. 28, 2011

Opinions of the Roman Philosophers.—Coalescence of the new and old Ideas.—Seizure of Power by the Illiterate, and consequent Debasement of Christianity in Rome.

From History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2) Revised Edition by Draper, John William