Henry James †1916
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There are two words spelled demean in English. One has a construction similar to its synonym, debase: where debase combines the prefix de- with an adjective base, meaning “low” or “vile,” demean applies de- to the adjective mean, meaning “inferior or contemptible.” The basic meaning the pair shares, “to lower in character or esteem,” is quite at odds with that of the other demean: “to conduct or behave oneself.” This demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener (“to conduct”), and is generally used in formal contexts to specify a type of behavior, as in “he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner”; “she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life”; and “they knew not how to demean themselves in the king’s presence.” As such, it may be possible to demean someone for the way they demean themselves, though we assert that would be doubly mean.
Examples of demean in a Sentence
Sheila Callaham, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Trump has no mandate Also, as Trump tries to demean you with Putin’s false claim that your approval rating is at 4%, keep in mind that Trump barely won.
—Sabrina Haake, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025
More:Trump signs executive order targeting transgender girls, women athletes
The judge said that, in applying that 1969 decision, federal courts have ruled schools can restrict messages that can be reasonably interpreted to demean a person’s identity and are reasonably expected to be disruptive.
—Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
No less an authority than former President Clinton warned Democrats last year about the risks of demeaning people on the right.
—John Blake, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Demean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demean. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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demean
1 of 2 verb
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