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
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.
Initially, the model degraded responses to some questions about AI development without notifying users.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Save the Redwoods League last month conveyed the 125-acre property to the Yurok Tribe following a years-long project to restore the degraded industrial site to a diverse riparian habitat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
She said the long-term fall in butterfly populations, dating back to the 1970s, had been driven by their habitats being destroyed or degraded.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The device worked as intended and then fully degraded within two weeks after activation.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
This phrase, ‘immutable mobiles’, sums up neatly the epistemological paradox of the fact: facts can be moved around, transferred from one person to another, without being degraded, or so at least the story goes.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
