degradation

[deg-ruh-dey-shuh n]

See more synonyms for degradation on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of degrading.
the state of being degraded.
Physical Geography. the wearing down of the land by the erosive action of water, wind, or ice.

Chemistry. the breakdown of an organic compound.

Origin of degradation

1525–35; < Late Latin dēgradātiōn- (stem of dēgradātiō), equivalent to dēgradāt(us) (past participle of dēgradāre to degrade) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsdeg·ra·da·tion·al, adjectivedeg·ra·da·tive, adjectivean·ti·deg·ra·da·tion, adjectivenon·deg·ra·da·tion, nounself-deg·ra·da·tion, noun

Synonyms

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2. humiliation, disgrace, dishonor, debasement.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for degradation

Contemporary Examples

There are always examples of degradation, but there are very few examples of ecosystems left that are that pristine.
Republicans: Obama’s Ocean Protection Plan Evidence of ‘Imperial Presidency’
Abigail Golden
June 23, 2014
“Since this past November, you have seen the slow and steady drumbeat of degradation,” Steele says.
The New, Not Necessarily Improved, Chris Christie
Lloyd Grove
December 30, 2013
And this of course raises the specter of Republican lies that make their own contribution to the degradation of public discourse.
Obama and Romney Are Both Liars
Michael Medved
October 2, 2012
So it is with Just Send Me Word, a heroic love story amid the squalor and degradation of the Gulag.
‘Just Send Me Word’ by Orlando Figes: Life and Love in the Gulag
Owen Matthews
June 10, 2012
The legacy of the degradation of bodies in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region is historical.
Perry Has a Point About the Marines Video vs. the Daniel Pearl Video
Asra Q. Nomani
January 19, 2012

Historical Examples

From the symbol of her degradation, she looked to the man whose action had placed it there.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
It was blasphemy to think of her in such case, subjected to the degradation of these processes.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
She had very honourable alliances, and yet she has thought it no degradation to be governess to Madame de Pompadour's daughter.
The Secret Memoirs of Louis XV./XVI, Complete
Madame du Hausset, an "Unknown English Girl" and the Princess Lamballe
She contrasted them with his own weakness and supineness and degradation.
Louisiana Lou
William West Winter
He was right at the bottom now, in the last state of degradation.
Fruitfulness
Emile Zola

British Dictionary definitions for degradation

degradation

noun

the act of degrading or the state of being degraded
a state of degeneration, squalor, or poverty
some act, constraint, etc, that is degrading
the wearing down of the surface of rocks, cliffs, etc, by erosion, weathering, or some other process
chem a breakdown of a molecule into atoms or smaller molecules
physics an irreversible process in which the energy available to do work is decreased
RC Church the permanent unfrocking of a priest

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for degradation

n.

1530s, from French dégradation (14c., Old French degradacion), from Medieval Latin degradationem (nominative degradatio), noun of action from past participle stem of degradare (see degrade).

degradation in Medicine

degradation

(dĕg′rə-dā′shən)

Progressive decomposition of a chemical compound into a less complex compound.

degradation

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}degradation

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for degradation

Contemporary Examples

There are always examples of degradation, but there are very few examples of ecosystems left that are that pristine.

“Since this past November, you have seen the slow and steady drumbeat of degradation,” Steele says.

And this of course raises the specter of Republican lies that make their own contribution to the degradation of public discourse.

So it is with Just Send Me Word, a heroic love story amid the squalor and degradation of the Gulag.

The legacy of the degradation of bodies in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region is historical.

Historical Examples

From the symbol of her degradation, she looked to the man whose action had placed it there.

It was blasphemy to think of her in such case, subjected to the degradation of these processes.

She had very honourable alliances, and yet she has thought it no degradation to be governess to Madame de Pompadour's daughter.

She contrasted them with his own weakness and supineness and degradation.

He was right at the bottom now, in the last state of degradation.

degradation

Word Origin and History for degradation

n.

degradation

Origin of degradation