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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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 Most retinol products are restricted to nighttime use because the ingredient degrades in sunlight, so this flexibility is a genuine differentiator. —

Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026 Phase 1 degrades military power and holds hostage the regime’s economic lifelines. —

Richard Goldberg, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026 And the implants can sometimes move or cause scar tissue buildup over time that degrades their signals. —

Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026 Vigilance degrades; that is its nature. —

Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Mar. 2026 Accurate predictions of when and where an uncontrolled spacecraft will fall back to Earth can be difficult to make because the process is influenced by atmospheric dynamics, space weather and the probe’s positioning as its orbit degrades. —

Denise Chow, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026 Even the best, thickest landscape fabric degrades. —

Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026 Announced on March 6, this development addresses the issue of transistor overheating, which typically degrades processor performance. —

Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Mar. 2026 How Long Potting Soil Lasts Potting soil typically degrades after nine to 12 months once the bag is opened and can last up to two years when unopened, says Scott. —

Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrades

Verb

Lower-temperature graphite production The second pathway, discovered by NLR and NCSU, reduces the temperature required to produce the mineral.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 26 Mar. 2026
By revitalizing dormant follicles and promoting the transition from the telogen phase back to anagen, minoxidil reduces the overall quantity of hair lost.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026