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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degrade
All of these areas have significantly degraded in the U.S. over the last few decades due to partisan polarization and political extremism.
—
Jennifer Victor, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2025
If Earth were to take a direct hit from such a jet, the high-energy particles within it could degrade our ozone layer and lead to a mass extinction.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Mar. 2025
And Climate Resilience addressed the fact that forests are vital to food security, yet deforestation—driven by agriculture, mining, and logging—threatens global food production by degrading soil, disrupting rainfall, and endangering pollinators.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
One manager, in particular, repeatedly degraded the workers, calling them racial slurs and making comments about their work ethic, the lawsuit said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Jennifer Victor, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2025
If Earth were to take a direct hit from such a jet, the high-energy particles within it could degrade our ozone layer and lead to a mass extinction.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Mar. 2025
And Climate Resilience addressed the fact that forests are vital to food security, yet deforestation—driven by agriculture, mining, and logging—threatens global food production by degrading soil, disrupting rainfall, and endangering pollinators.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
One manager, in particular, repeatedly degraded the workers, calling them racial slurs and making comments about their work ethic, the lawsuit said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrade
Verb
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The tax cuts that the Legislature is pushing through this session, including the property tax relief bill, could reduce the state’s general fund by about $450 million.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2025
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This should reduce prep time from over 24 hours to about 15 minutes.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Additionally, inspectors said, grout had deteriorated between floor tiles at the cook’s line.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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And regardless of today’s numbers, the labor market could deteriorate very quickly amid Trump’s new tariffs, according to Yardeni Research.—
Josh Fellman,
Quartz,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Trump World even humiliated Abe by letting it be known that Abe had nominated the U.S. leader for a Nobel Peace Prize.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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The temptation for Russia to humiliate London and Paris - by breaking any ceasefire with an attack carried out hundreds of miles away from British and French troops stuck in the capital - could prove hard to resist.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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An additional 32 employees have been demoted and given pay cuts.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2025
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Martin has since sidelined prosecutors that worked on Jan. 6 cases, demoting several to entry-level positions.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But that progress stalled out around the turn of the year, which weakened the case for further rate cuts and ultimately prompted the Fed to stand pat in January.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
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More broadly, consumer sentiment has declined and retail sales growth has weakened, reflecting the uncertainty of customers over where the economy is headed.—
Harry Holzer,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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His tariffs were not based on the import taxes charged by other countries but by the size of each trade deficit, a calculation that instantly discredited the policy with many economists and investors.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
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Bolsonaro’s efforts to discredit the election had already found allies abroad.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Project 2025 is explicitly derived from the processes used by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to subvert his country’s democracy and by Russian leader Vladimir Putin to subvert the inchoate democratic movement after the fall of the Soviet Union.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2025
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With a limited color palette and very spare design, the show subverts the commonplace elements of an office and invents a haunting visual language all its own that creeps you out while drawing you in.—
Charlotte Collins,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But the medical-looking royal blue bottles of nicotine lozenges embarrassed her.—
Will Yakowicz,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
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Many of them had to fail, repeat, embarrass themselves, risk everything, and learn.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
23 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degrade. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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