demeaning

[ dih-mee-ning ]

adjective

1. that demeans; demean; debasing; degrading:

   Being forced to apologize when I had done nothing wrong was a demeaning task.

Word History and Origins

Origin of demeaning¹

First recorded in 1875–80; demean ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

The lyrics have been edited in response to critics calling the song demeaning and rife with colonial tropes, but it remains a self-congratulatory and tone-deaf exercise.

From Los Angeles Times

Then why do some rescues continue to demand that prospective adopters submit to exasperating and potentially demeaning hurdles?

From Salon

Jared Birchall, Musk’s right-hand man, called it “the most insulting, demeaning, insane message.”

From Los Angeles Times

While Wilson is focused on sex and discomforting descriptions of what he sees as women's sexual obligations to men, his demeaning attitudes about women expand beyond the bedroom.

From Salon

Psychopaths are unlikely to request help as they don’t want to do anything they’d consider to be demeaning, so on that basis alone Tony wouldn’t have met the criteria, as he had asked for therapy.

From BBC

Related Words

• defamatory
• degrading
• disparaging
• sarcastic
• slanderous
• unflattering