degrade
verb
de·grade di-ˈgrād 
dē-
degraded; degrading; degrades
transitive verb
1
a
: to lower in grade, rank, or status : demote
b
: to strip of rank or honors
c
: to lower to an inferior or less effective level
degrade the image quality
d
: to scale down in desirability or salability
2
a
: to bring to low esteem or into disrepute
Their actions have degraded their profession.
comments intended to humiliate and degrade others
b
: to drag down in moral or intellectual character : corrupt
… impelled, by misfortune and misery, to the vice that has degraded them.
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens3
: to impair in respect to some physical property
material degraded by exposure to sunlight
4
geology : to wear down by erosion
degraded the hillside
5
chemistry : to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) : decompose
intransitive verb
1
: to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower
causes the meat to degrade in quality
2
of a chemical compound : to become reduced in complexity
plastics that don't easily degrade
degrader noun
Did you know?
In Shakespeare's King Lear, the old king is degraded by the daughters he has given his kingdom to. He finds it degrading, for instance, when the number of his guards is reduced from 100 to 25. His degradation seems complete when, after going mad, he's reduced to living in the wilderness. As you can see, degrade is often a synonym for humiliate.
Synonyms
- break
- bust
- demote
- disrate
- downgrade
- reduce
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The group accuses the company of degrading women in its ads. He felt degraded by their remarks. Scratches on a camera lens will degrade the image. Pollution has degraded air quality.
Recent Examples on the Web According to the park service, the number of people trampling through the area over the years has caused the base of the tree to degrade and has wiped out ferns that would normally surround it. Alexis Benveniste, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Aug. 2022 Cells in the retina continue to express the photosensitive protein after a one-time injection of the virus, while physical implants could degrade and stop working, accompanied by risks of infection. Connie Chang Chinchio, Popular Mechanics, 25 Aug. 2022 Invasive species can increase the costs of delivering water and power, degrade recreational opportunities and discourage tourism, said Rachel Pawlitz, chief public affairs officer for the Geological Survey. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 30 July 2022 Russia says the strikes are part of a campaign to degrade Ukraine’s military infrastructure and block Western arms shipments. Reuters, NBC News, 6 June 2022 Once that signal is turned off, the CARs should disarm or slowly degrade and deactivate the CAR-T cell’s killing function. Angus Chen, STAT, 19 Jan. 2022 Agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to climate change: Pesticides, herbicides, nitrogen-rich fertilisers and monocultures degrade soil and lead to a loss in biodiversity. Marianne Lehnis, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2021 Not only did moving to a four-day workweek not degrade our productivity, but the months following the shift were among the most productive in our history. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2022 Invasive species degrade our natural areas, including areas critical to threatened and endangered species, by taking resources from native life forms. Linda Jones, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 See More
Alexis Benveniste, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Aug. 2022 Cells in the retina continue to express the photosensitive protein after a one-time injection of the virus, while physical implants could degrade and stop working, accompanied by risks of infection. Connie Chang Chinchio, Popular Mechanics, 25 Aug. 2022 Invasive species can increase the costs of delivering water and power, degrade recreational opportunities and discourage tourism, said Rachel Pawlitz, chief public affairs officer for the Geological Survey. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 30 July 2022 Russia says the strikes are part of a campaign to degrade Ukraine’s military infrastructure and block Western arms shipments. Reuters, NBC News, 6 June 2022 Once that signal is turned off, the CARs should disarm or slowly degrade and deactivate the CAR-T cell’s killing function. Angus Chen, STAT, 19 Jan. 2022 Agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to climate change: Pesticides, herbicides, nitrogen-rich fertilisers and monocultures degrade soil and lead to a loss in biodiversity. Marianne Lehnis, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2021 Not only did moving to a four-day workweek not degrade our productivity, but the months following the shift were among the most productive in our history. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2022 Invasive species degrade our natural areas, including areas critical to threatened and endangered species, by taking resources from native life forms. Linda Jones, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French degrader, from Late Latin degradare, from Latin de- + gradus step, grade — more at grade entry 1
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Kids Definition
degrade
verb
de·grade di-ˈgrād
degraded; degrading
1
: to lower in character or dignity
Mom feels that dressing animals in costumes degrades them.
2
: to break down or separate into simpler parts or substances
Bacteria will degrade the spilled pollutant.
3
: to reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree
He was degraded to a private by his commander.
Medical Definition
degrade
transitive verb
de·grade di-ˈgrād
degraded; degrading
: to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) by splitting off one or more groups or larger components : decompose
cellulose is degraded by the action of some bacteria
intransitive verb
: to undergo chemical degradation
degrades
verb
1
as in reduces
to bring to a lower grade or rank the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- reduces
- demotes
- dismisses
- downgrades
- breaks
- busts
- sacks
- demeans
- debases
- disrates
- humiliates
- downsizes
- lowers
- fires
- humbles
- lays off
- cans
- abases
- cashiers
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- promotes
- advances
- raises
- elevates
- hires
2
as in deteriorates
to lower in character, dignity, or quality degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume Synonyms & Similar Words
- deteriorates
- weakens
- corrupts
- humiliates
- dilutes
- subverts
- demeans
- debases
- destroys
- pollutes
- poisons
- debauches
- lessens
- damages
- cheapens
- disgraces
- impairs
- depraves
- shames
- taints
- vitiates
- warps
- bastardizes
- demoralizes
- perverts
- mars
- contaminates
- ruins
- cankers
- thins
- abases
- humbles
- profanes
- prostitutes
- harms
- dishonors
- dirties
- tarnishes
- hurts
- defiles
- wrecks
- waters down
- flaws
- spoils
- depreciates
- defaces
- befouls
- descends
- stains
- begrimes
- blemishes
- downgrades
- takes down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- improves
- elevates
- ennobles
- enhances
- uplifts
- exalts
- enriches
- dignifies
- restores
- ameliorates
- honors
- refines
- perfects
- cleans
- clarifies
- purifies
- amends
- respects
- cleanses
- betters
- meliorates
3
as in humiliates
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes the players degraded themselves with their crude antics off the field Synonyms & Similar Words
- humiliates
- discredits
- embarrasses
- shames
- demeans
- debases
- humbles
- confuses
- dishonors
- disgraces
- cheapens
- lowers
- diminishes
- insults
- rattles
- abases
- chastens
- criticizes
- ridicules
- detracts
- smirches
- sinks
- minimizes
- takes down
- belittles
- disparages
- fouls
- depreciates
- mortifies
- flusters
- maligns
- confounds
- disconcerts
- defames
- decries
- discomfits
- defiles
- condemns
- slanders
- castigates
- discounts
- abashes
- discountenances
- fazes
- denounces
- libels
- affronts
- nonplusses
- writes off
- nonpluses
- damns
- cries down
- bad-mouths
- puts down
- execrates
- censures
- reprehends
- reprobates
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- elevates
- exalts
- cites
- aggrandizes
- celebrates
- recognizes
- deifies
- commends
- decorates
- boasts
- acknowledges
- extols
- applauds
- hails
- praises
- lauds
- salutes
- canonizes
- congratulates
- honors
- touts
- cheers
- extolls
- eulogizes
- compliments
- promotes
- acclaims
- highlights
- ennobles
- magnifies
- dignifies
- fetes
- glorifies
- enshrines
- advances
- boosts
- spotlights
- raises
- uplifts
- lifts
- enthrones
- idealizes
- upgrades
- fêtes
- romanticizes
- plays up
- enskies