debasing 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of debasingnext
1
as in degrading

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2
as in perverted

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debasing

2 of 3

noun

as in debasement

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debasing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of debase
1
as in corrupting
to lower in character, dignity, or quality we debase ourselves when we adopt the moral code and behavior of our despised enemies

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2
as in humiliating
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes our failure to win a single game completely debased us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for debasing
  1. degrading
  2. perverted
  3. demeaning
  4. unbecoming
  5. discrediting
  6. humiliating
  7. profane
  8. degradation
Adjective
  • More than 2 million people in the U.S. lack indoor plumbing and more live with failing sewage systems that can result in waste backing up into homes or pooling on the ground, threatening public health and degrading basic dignity, the EPA said.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2024
  • Read: ‘Shallow Hal’ and the never-ending fat joke Among Lost’s most degrading tropes was Hurley’s obsession with junk food.
    Rebecca Bodenheimer, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of degrading
Adjective
  • But, even at its most perverted, Shadow of the Erdtree handles motherhood like nuclear energy.
    Ashley Bardhan, Vulture, 5 July 2024
  • Otherwise, things can get dicey, spending all day filming bloodied bodies posed in perverted Biblical poses.
    William Earl, Variety, 26 Sep. 2024
Definition of perverted
Adjective
  • Even by his already demeaning standards, Trump's rallies and events have also taken a dark turn this fall.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Oz winces when Al throws him a big old necklace from the family jewel case; the gesture is completely demeaning.
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
Definition of demeaning
Adjective
  • There is no denying that Donald Trump has engaged in behavior that is unacceptable and unbecoming of any leader — let alone a president of the United States.
    Maggie Astor, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023
  • To have lived through an encompassing albeit unbecoming love and have survived it with all the parts of herself intact feels like a triumph.
    Vulture, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2022
Definition of unbecoming
Verb
  • Many of the conspiracy theories have prompted FEMA to create a page on its site discrediting rumors and false information about its response to Hurricane Helene.
    Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2024
  • Still, the United States didn’t recognize Haiti as a nation until 1862, during the Civil War, when American leadership was looking for any support in discrediting slavery.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Definition of discrediting
Adjective
  • Footage shows severe and humiliating smacking of women in public, watched by groups of males.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
  • The moment is humiliating for all involved, but Moynahan feels that at the time, Natasha was seen as the sole guilty party, for the crime of preventing the union of a fan-favorite couple.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 2 Dec. 2024
Definition of humiliating
Adjective
  • He’s known for being high-energy and often using profane language.
    Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024
  • But this is the post-2020 Trump—an older, angrier, more profane Trump, who demanded that his followers embrace his big lie about the last election and whose campaign will go down as one of the most racist, sexist, and xenophobic in modern history.
    Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2024
Definition of profane
Noun
  • Our region has been plagued for far too long by foreign interference, wars, sectarian conflicts, terrorism, drug trafficking, water scarcity, refugee crises, and environmental degradation.
    Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2024
  • These novel electrolytes are designed to be much less susceptible to degradation, offering a more stable electrolyte-environment interface.
    Matthew Dawson, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Definition of degradation
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near debasing

debases

debasing

debatable

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Cite this Entry

“Debasing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debasing. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on debasing

Nglish: Translation of debasing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of debasing for Arabic Speakers

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