DEGRADES Synonyms: 174 Similar and Opposite Words

degrades

verb

present tense third-person singular of degrade

as in reduces

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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Relevance

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as in deteriorates

to lower in character, dignity, or quality degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume

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as in humiliates

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

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.

Recent Examples of degrades Unlike conventional electronics that rely on plastics and heavy metals, the MEG degrades safely after use. —

Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 May 2026 It gets tested every year because the device degrades and conditions change. —

Barbara Wittmann, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 When the technology of representation degrades, the system as a whole begins to lose legitimacy. —

Danielle Allen, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026 Proteins, which are made up of sequences of amino acids, are more robust than ancient DNA, a fragile molecule that degrades relatively easily. —

Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 14 May 2026 For people with diabetes, heat degrades temperature‑sensitive medications and makes blood sugar harder to control. —

Anthony Nicome, STAT, 13 May 2026 In a world where most conversations take the form of cautious whispers, information degrades quickly. —

Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 13 May 2026 The soil degrades into a fine, powdery mix that compacts and can't hold onto moisture. —

Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 May 2026 In the teeth Without access to all the repair enzymes made by living cells, DNA rapidly degrades. —

ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades

Verb

Though more popular for your skin, when applied to your scalp and strands, the ingredient sloughs off buildup, soothes irritation, reduces dandruff, and controls oil production.

— Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 29 May 2026
It was also found that the battery uses a tabless, a double-aluminum current collector design that reduces resistance and ensures a uniform temperature distribution—and also mirrors the current design of Tesla batteries.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026