demean

1 of 2

verb (1)

de·mean di-ˈmēn How to pronounce demean (audio)

demeaned; demeaning

transitive verb

: to lower in character, status, or reputation

careful not to demean his opponent

demeaning the seriousness of the problem

demean

2 of 2

verb (2)

demeaned; demeaning

transitive verb

: to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner

… he might have been observed to demean himself as a person with nothing to do …

Henry James †1916

Did you know?

There are two words spelled demean in English. The more familiar demean—"to lower in character, status, or reputation"—comes straight from mean, the adjective that means "spiteful." The other demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener ("to conduct"), which in turn comes from Latin minare, meaning "to drive." This verb has been with us since the 14th century and is generally used in contexts (especially formal ones) specifying a type of behavior: "he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner"; "she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life"; "they knew not how to demean themselves in the king's presence." As you may have already guessed, the noun demeanor, meaning "behavior," comes from this demean.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

de- + mean entry 2, probably after debase

Verb (2)

Middle English demenen, demeynen "to rule, control, decide, arrange, keep within bounds, moderate, behave (in a certain way), conduct (oneself)," borrowed from Anglo-French demein-, tonic stem of demener "to lead, guide, carry on, subject to, treat, agitate," (intransitive) "to strive, thrash about," (reflexive) "to behave" (also continental Old & Middle French), from de- de- + mener "to lead, bring," going back to Latin mināre "to push, impel (an animal forward)," active form of the deponent verb minārī "to threaten" — more at minatory

Note: The verb mināre "to impel, drive (an animal)" is marginally attested in later classical Latin but more fully in Late Latin; in the Vulgate the object can also be human or inanimate. In early medieval Latin the notion "drive" shifted to "lead," a sense continued by Romance descendants of mināre (as French mener, Upper Engadine Romansh mner, Italian menare, Occitan & Catalan menar). The Old French prefixed derivative demener displays a wide array of meanings, which in part were passed through Anglo-French to Middle English demenen. The verbs in the modern languages—French démener, English demean—retain few of these meanings.

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1601, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

demean 1 of 2

verb (1)

as in to humiliate

to lower in character, dignity, or quality it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

humiliate
degrade
subvert
debase
weaken
dilute
corrupt
cheapen
debauch
deteriorate
disgrace
destroy
demoralize
pervert
bastardize
damage
abase
poison
deprave
mar
shame
ruin
lessen
pollute
vitiate
canker
prostitute
profane
humble
harm
impair
taint
contaminate
dishonor
hurt
thin
dirty
warp
defile
tarnish
water down
spoil
wreck
deface
befoul
flaw
begrime
depreciate
stain
blemish
descend
downgrade
take down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

elevate
honor
uplift
exalt
improve
ennoble
enhance
better
dignify
enrich
amend
ameliorate
perfect
clarify
restore
refine
respect
purify
clean
cleanse
meliorate

as in to discredit

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work

Synonyms & Similar Words

humiliate
discredit
embarrass
degrade
shame
debase
insult
disgrace
dishonor
humble
cheapen
confuse
abase
disparage
criticize
belittle
smirch
chasten
rattle
diminish
ridicule
lower
take down
foul
mortify
detract
minimize
defame
disconcert
malign
discomfit
fluster
confound
slander
depreciate
castigate
abash
faze
decry
sink
affront
condemn
discountenance
nonplus
defile
discount
cry down
libel
bad-mouth
denounce
write off
censure
execrate
reprehend
put down
damn
reprobate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exalt
elevate
honor
aggrandize
commend
recognize
deify
celebrate
applaud
congratulate
acknowledge
compliment
boast
cite
extol
laud
canonize
cheer
praise
salute
eulogize
decorate
tout
extoll
highlight
hail
dignify
glorify
promote
ennoble
acclaim
magnify
enshrine
raise
uplift
lift
advance
spotlight
boost
fete
idealize
upgrade
romanticize
fête
enthrone
play up
ensky

demean

2 of 2

verb (2)

as in to behave

to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit

Synonyms & Similar Words

behave
restrain
acquit
carry
conduct
compose
contain
handle
inhibit
comport
deport
constrain
quit
collect
repress
bear
control
curb
act
moderate
modulate
quiet
impersonate
temper
check
play

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

misbehave
misconduct
cut up
act up
carry on

单词	demean
释义	demean 1 of 2 verb (1) de·mean di-ˈmēn demeaned; demeaning transitive verb : to lower in character, status, or reputation careful not to demean his opponent demeaning the seriousness of the problem demean 2 of 2 verb (2) demeaned; demeaning transitive verb : to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner … he might have been observed to demean himself as a person with nothing to do … Henry James †1916 Did you know? There are two words spelled demean in English. The more familiar demean—"to lower in character, status, or reputation"—comes straight from mean, the adjective that means "spiteful." The other demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener ("to conduct"), which in turn comes from Latin minare, meaning "to drive." This verb has been with us since the 14th century and is generally used in contexts (especially formal ones) specifying a type of behavior: "he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner"; "she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life"; "they knew not how to demean themselves in the king's presence." As you may have already guessed, the noun demeanor, meaning "behavior," comes from this demean. Synonyms Verb (1) abase bastardize canker cheapen corrupt debase debauch degrade demoralize deprave deteriorate lessen pervert poison profane prostitute subvert vitiate warp Verb (2) acquit bear behave carry comport conduct deport quit See all Synonyms & Antonyms Word History Etymology Verb (1) de- + mean entry 2, probably after debase Verb (2) Middle English demenen, demeynen "to rule, control, decide, arrange, keep within bounds, moderate, behave (in a certain way), conduct (oneself)," borrowed from Anglo-French demein-, tonic stem of demener "to lead, guide, carry on, subject to, treat, agitate," (intransitive) "to strive, thrash about," (reflexive) "to behave" (also continental Old & Middle French), from de- de- + mener "to lead, bring," going back to Latin mināre "to push, impel (an animal forward)," active form of the deponent verb minārī "to threaten" — more at minatory Note: The verb mināre "to impel, drive (an animal)" is marginally attested in later classical Latin but more fully in Late Latin; in the Vulgate the object can also be human or inanimate. In early medieval Latin the notion "drive" shifted to "lead," a sense continued by Romance descendants of mināre (as French mener, Upper Engadine Romansh mner, Italian menare, Occitan & Catalan menar). The Old French prefixed derivative demener displays a wide array of meanings, which in part were passed through Anglo-French to Middle English demenen. The verbs in the modern languages—French démener, English demean—retain few of these meanings. First Known Use Verb (1) 1601, in the meaning defined above Verb (2) 14th century, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition demean 1 of 2 verb de·mean di-ˈmēn demeaned; demeaning : behave sense 2 He demeaned himself like a gentleman. demean 2 of 2 verb demeaned; demeaning : to lower in character or dignity She feels that such work demeans her. demean 1 of 2 verb (1) 1 as in to humiliate to lower in character, dignity, or quality it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance humiliate degrade subvert debase weaken dilute corrupt cheapen debauch deteriorate disgrace destroy demoralize pervert bastardize damage abase poison deprave mar shame ruin lessen pollute vitiate canker prostitute profane humble harm impair taint contaminate dishonor hurt thin dirty warp defile tarnish water down spoil wreck deface befoul flaw begrime depreciate stain blemish descend downgrade take down Antonyms & Near Antonyms elevate honor uplift exalt improve ennoble enhance better dignify enrich amend ameliorate perfect clarify restore refine respect purify clean cleanse meliorate See More 2 as in to discredit to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work Synonyms & Similar Words humiliate discredit embarrass degrade shame debase insult disgrace dishonor humble cheapen confuse abase disparage criticize belittle smirch chasten rattle diminish ridicule lower take down foul mortify detract minimize defame disconcert malign discomfit fluster confound slander depreciate castigate abash faze decry sink affront condemn discountenance nonplus defile discount cry down libel bad-mouth denounce write off censure execrate reprehend put down damn reprobate Antonyms & Near Antonyms exalt elevate honor aggrandize commend recognize deify celebrate applaud congratulate acknowledge compliment boast cite extol laud canonize cheer praise salute eulogize decorate tout extoll highlight hail dignify glorify promote ennoble acclaim magnify enshrine raise uplift lift advance spotlight boost fete idealize upgrade romanticize fête enthrone play up ensky See More demean 2 of 2 verb (2) as in to behave to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit Synonyms & Similar Words behave restrain acquit carry conduct compose contain handle inhibit comport deport constrain quit collect repress bear control curb act moderate modulate quiet impersonate temper check play Antonyms & Near Antonyms misbehave misconduct cut up act up carry on
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demean

verb (1)

verb (2)

Did you know?

Synonyms

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

verb (1)

verb (2)