1
as in to reduce
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
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2
as in to deteriorate
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume
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3
as in to humiliate
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degrade
Scientists are investigating whether BEMT degrades in pool water.
—
Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
Whether painting one’s pout was deemed empowering or degrading often reflected the feminine expectations of different generations.
—Eileen G'sell, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Israel, long concerned about Iran’s nuclear program, also sees a historic opportunity to degrade Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and its support for armed groups across the region.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
The need-to-know this morning Roche is partnering with Nurix Therapeutics to co-develop an experimental antibody treatment that works by degrading, or eliminating, a protein called BTK that is associated with blood cancer and other diseases.
—Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
Whether painting one’s pout was deemed empowering or degrading often reflected the feminine expectations of different generations.
—Eileen G'sell, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Israel, long concerned about Iran’s nuclear program, also sees a historic opportunity to degrade Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and its support for armed groups across the region.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
The need-to-know this morning Roche is partnering with Nurix Therapeutics to co-develop an experimental antibody treatment that works by degrading, or eliminating, a protein called BTK that is associated with blood cancer and other diseases.
—Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrade
Verb
-
The coronavirus vaccine reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events linked to covid-19 — strokes, heart attacks, and hospitalization from heart disease — by about 40 percent, according to a new study.—
Daniel Wu,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
-
Fox would take on $8 million in debt to pay for the Roku acquisition, and the companies expect to reduce combined expenses by $400 million.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Her mother, however, had been deteriorating from Parkinson’s and dementia for four years.—
Wes Kilgore,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Cutting prices now could make the situation even more dire, deteriorating already disastrous profit margins.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Bryan’s stumbling responses, under questioning from the legendary defense lawyer Clarence Darrow, left him humiliated.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
-
Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Paula Conaway alleged she was harassed and ultimately demoted from her position as deputy chief for insisting on accountability for officers under her command.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
-
Ron Burgundy, you’re demoted to weekends!—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Over the course of two summers, the Kings weakened the fulcrum of their roster by losing Matt Roy and Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency, then exacerbating matters by casting off Jordan Spence for a modest return.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
-
The acid can etch, discolor, or weaken stone and concrete.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
News organizations have always faced scrutiny from targets frustrated by elements of their reporting, or looking to discredit those stories altogether.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
-
Those accusations have long been discredited.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Vanessa Rossetto has built her entire artistic practice out of subverting listeners’ expectations.—
Levi Dayan,
Pitchfork,
9 June 2026
-
Seen through the lens of the Civil War and its aftermath, the piece subverts every expectation.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In 1979, Jean-Louis Palladin arrived in Washington from Gascony, France, took up residence in the kitchen of the Watergate Hotel and proceeded to embarrass every serious cook in America.—
Bart Hutchins,
Washington Post,
12 June 2026
-
Republicans in Washington are empowered—and eager—to investigate, embarrass, and punish the higher-education field.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrade. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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