degrade

[dih-greyd, dee-greyd]

verb (used with object)

degraded, degrading 

1. to lower in dignity or estimation; bring into contempt.

   He felt they were degrading him by making him report to the supervisor.

   Synonyms: discredit, dishonor, disgrace
   Antonyms: exalt

2. to lower in character or quality; debase.

   Synonyms: vitiate, abase
   Antonyms: exalt

3. to reduce (someone) to a lower rank, degree, etc.; deprive of office, rank, status, or title, especially as a punishment.

   degraded from director to assistant director.

   Synonyms: break, cashier, lower, downgrade, depose, demote
   Antonyms: promote

4. to reduce in amount, strength, intensity, etc.

5. Physical Geography.,  to wear down by erosion, as hills.

6. Chemistry.,  to break down (a compound, especially an organic hydrocarbon).

verb (used without object)

degraded, degrading 

1. to become degraded; weaken or worsen; deteriorate.

2. Chemistry.,  (especially of an organic hydrocarbon compound) to break down or decompose.

degrade

/ dɪˈɡreɪd /

verb

1. (tr) to reduce in worth, character, etc; disgrace; dishonour

2. (tr) to reduce in rank, status, or degree; remove from office; demote

3. (tr) to reduce in strength, quality, intensity, etc

4. to reduce or be reduced by erosion or down-cutting, as a land surface or bed of a river Compare aggrade

5. chem to decompose or be decomposed into atoms or smaller molecules

Other Word Forms

• degrader noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of degrade¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English degraden, from Late Latin dēgradāre, from Latin dē- de- + grad(us) “step, rank, progress” ( grade ) + -āre, infinitive verb suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of degrade¹

C14: from Late Latin dēgradāre, from Latin _de- + gradus rank, degree

Synonym Study

See humble.

Example Sentences

The prosecution said the girls were abused, degraded and then "discarded" by the paedophiles, who worked either at the market or as taxi drivers.

From BBC

“Those images are severely degraded in smoke conditions like that,” he said, leaving open the possibility that the fire was in west Altadena well before 5 a.m., as residents previously reported to The Times.

From Los Angeles Times

That is also degrading the quality of the soil, a change seen in real time by farmers like Craig and Sarah.

From BBC

Keller said her husband was long aware of the issue, but it had now degraded the quality of their lives to the point that he was spurred to act.

From Los Angeles Times

"It's hard to understand how low we degraded common, regular people to a state of that much hunger and frenzy about food."

From BBC

Related Words

• cheapen 
• corrupt 
• debase 
• degenerate 
• demean 
• deteriorate 
• diminish 
• discredit 
• disgrace 
• downgrade 
• impair 
• lessen 
• reduce 
• vitiate 
• weaken