downgrade

[doun-greyd]

noun

1. a downward slope, especially of a road.

adjective

1. downhill.

verb (used with object)

downgraded, downgrading 

1. to assign to a lower status with a smaller salary.

2. to minimize the importance of; denigrate.

   She tried to downgrade the findings of the investigation.

3. to assign a lower security classification to (information, a document, etc.).

downgrade

/ ˈdaʊnˌɡreɪd /

verb

1. to reduce in importance, esteem, or value, esp to demote (a person) to a poorer job

2. to speak of disparagingly

noun

1. a downward slope, esp in a road

2. waning in importance, popularity, health, etc

Other Word Forms

• downgrader noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of downgrade¹

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; down ¹ + grade

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on the downgrade, in a decline toward an inferior state or position.

   His career has been on the downgrade.

Example Sentences

Saudi jets could be equipped with downgraded avionics, reduced flight performance or range, limited weapons packages, hidden IFF transmitters and so forth.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The chancellor had repeatedly suggested a downgrade to the UK's predicted economic productivity would make it hard to meet her spending rules.

Read more on BBC

The same weather system that passed through Indonesia, now downgraded from a tropical storm to a depression, made landfall early on Friday morning, dumping more rain on the already-sodden region.

Read more on Barron's

S&P Global downgraded Tether’s rating to weak from constrained due to increased exposure to higher-risk assets.

Read more on Barron's

S&P Global downgraded Tether’s rating to weak from constrained due to increased exposure to higher-risk assets.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• degrade 
• demote 
• devalue 
• reduce 
• undervalue