Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense downgrades, present participle downgrading, past tense, past participle downgraded
1. verb [usually passive]
If something is downgraded, it is given less importance than it used to have or than you think it should have.
The boy's condition has been downgraded from critical to serious. [beVERB-ed]
2. verb
If someone is downgraded, their job or status is changed so that they become less important or receive less money.
There was no criticism of her work until after she was downgraded. [beVERB-ed]
His superiors suspended him, and then downgraded him. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: demote, degrade, take down a peg [informal], lower or reduce in rank More Synonyms of downgrade
More Synonyms of downgrade
downgrade in British English
(ˈdaʊnˌɡreɪd)
verb(transitive)
1.
to reduce in importance, esteem, or value, esp to demote (a person) to a poorer job
2.
to speak of disparagingly
noun
3. mainly US and Canadian
a downward slope, esp in a road
4. on the downgrade
downgrade in American English
(ˈdaʊnˌgreɪd)
US
noun
1.
a downward slope, esp. in a road
2.
a lowering in rank, value, etc.
adjective, adverb
3.
downhill; downward
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈdownˌgraded or ˈdownˌgrading
4.
to demote to a less skilled job at lower pay
5.
to lower in importance, value, esteem, etc.
6.
to belittle
Idioms:
on the downgrade
Examples of 'downgrade' in a sentence
downgrade
The move downgrades the role of the conductor or guard who previously had responsibility for the train doors.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
US growth was also downgraded from 2.5 per cent to 2.2 per cent for next year.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Last month its status was downgraded to junk.
The Sun (2013)
But the spreads are too wide because of the rating downgrades.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
All the countries that were downgraded will inevitably face higher interest costs on money they borrow.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Wounded troops who have recovered and returned to work medically downgraded were also to be considered.
The Sun (2010)
The guards are in dispute over what they regard as the downgrading of their roles.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The bonds of both eurozone countries suffered after the downgrades.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It should have also highlighted the downgrading of the value of apprenticeships by large companies.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Broker downgrades elsewhere were also increasing pressure on equities.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Yet a preoccupation with social processes can quickly lead to downgrading the role of reason in human affairs.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
The company has already dismissed its chairman and its original financial advisers and suffered profit downgrades from its own brokers.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Greece's rating was downgraded to junk status last year owing to the risk of default.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
If its rating is downgraded to junk in December the cost of borrowing will rise.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But now that governments face being downgraded, politicians insist that the ratings mean little.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Greece suffered a further downgrade of its credit rating, leaving its debt one notch above junk status.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Coming on the back of an inevitable credit rating downgrade, the government would want to avoid it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His shock departure added to concerns that the country's sovereign bonds could soon be downgraded to junk status.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
There are also fears that insurers will try to wriggle out of claims by downgrading the value of homeowners' damage.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I was particularly keen to hold on to that at a time when brokers seemed to be downgrading the stock.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It downgraded the stock to'neutral '.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I don't think that the public has in any way downgraded the importance of the latter in pursuit of the former.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Portugal's credit rating was downgraded to junk status yesterday as a 24-hour general strike brought the country to a near standstill.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Insurance companies, which are seeing their asset values shredded, could be vulnerable to ratings agency downgrades that could pitch them into a downward spiral.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
With the recruitment process still running, the job specification for the role was suddenly downgraded two weeks ago to remove any responsibility for the senior England team.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
downgrade
British English: downgrade VERB
If something is downgraded, it is given less importance than it used to have or than you think it should have.
The boy's condition has been downgraded from critical to serious.
American English: downgrade
Brazilian Portuguese: rebaixar
Chinese: 降级
European Spanish: degradar
French: déclasser
German: herunterstufen
Italian: ridimensionare
Japanese: 格下げする
Korean: 하향 조정되다
European Portuguese: rebaixar
Latin American Spanish: degradar
1 (verb)
Definition
to reduce in importance or value
His superiors downgraded him.
Synonyms
demote
If managers prove inefficient they should be demoted.