degraded
Americanadjective
-
reduced in rank, position, reputation, etc..
He felt degraded by the trivial tasks assigned to him.
-
reduced in quality or value; debased; vulgarized.
the degraded level of the modern novel.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of degraded
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; see origin at degrade, -ed 2
Vocabulary lists containing degraded
"The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848)
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"Ellen West" by Frank Bidart
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Restoration efforts over decades have helped degraded forests to recover, but the big change has come from the natural expansion of mangroves in many parts of the world following drops in deforestation.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
"If we're going to commit to prosecuting someone who's degraded the landscape, then we should make sure that they atone by monitoring that landscape sufficiently afterwards."
From BBC • May 26, 2026
The material was designed to localize to injured tissue by binding to leaky microvasculature and was largely degraded within about three days.
From Science Daily • May 5, 2026
Rising sea levels and surging tides from increasingly powerful storms -- resulting in an increase in soil salinity -- have degraded agricultural lands, pushing people into tiger territory.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
We are as easily degraded as any other people.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
