downgrade
[doun-greyd]
- a downward slope, especially of a road.
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- to assign to a lower status with a smaller salary.
- to minimize the importance of; denigrate: She tried to downgrade the findings of the investigation.
- to assign a lower security classification to (information, a document, etc.).
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- on the downgrade, in a decline toward an inferior state or position: His career has been on the downgrade.
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Origin of downgrade
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
demoteundervaluereducedegradedevaluedeclinedescentdeclivityhillpitchdipinclinationdemeritminimizehumbledenigratebenchbreakbumpdecryExamples from the Web for downgrade
Contemporary Examples
"The Uri Blau conviction as part of a plea bargain alone merits a downgrade," said Omer-Man.
I did The Girlfriend Experience on film and Entourage on television, and to downgrade from that would be silly.
One ratings agency is threatening to downgrade the U.S. if we go over the fiscal cliff.
The U.S. Credit Rating Might Get Downgraded Again, But Does Anyone Care?Matthew Zeitlin
November 14, 2012
The downgrade probably scores short-term political points for both leaders.
Typically, that means there is an even possibility that it will downgrade the credit of these countries within 90 days.
Standard & Poor’s and Other Ratings Agencies Must End Their Power TripZachary Karabell
January 12, 2012
Historical Examples
"Not enough to keep him from skiddin' on a downgrade," said Mormon.
Rimrock TrailJ. Allan Dunn
There is no downgrade in normal youth; it is its nature to climb, to look up.
The Victorious AttitudeOrison Swett Marden
In the general ferment, commercial honesty had been on the downgrade.
Ten Tudor StatesmenArthur D. Innes
It had no brakes, and fearing failure of the transmission on a downgrade, he was reluctant to ride in the machine.
The car was moving at a relatively slow speed—but still over fifty miles an hour, on a narrow unpaved, downgrade road.
The TelenizerDon Thompson
downgrade
- to reduce in importance, esteem, or value, esp to demote (a person) to a poorer job
- to speak of disparagingly
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- mainly US and Canadian a downward slope, esp in a road
- on the downgrade waning in importance, popularity, health, etc
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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 downgrade
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper