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degrade

verb
de·​grade | \ di-ˈgrād How to pronounce degrade (audio) , dē-\
degraded; degrading; degrades

Definition of degrade

transitive verb

1a : to lower in grade, rank, or status : demote
b : to strip of rank or honors
c : to lower to an inferior or less effective level degrade the image quality
d : to scale down in desirability or salability
2a : to bring to low esteem or into disrepute his actions have degraded his profession punishments intended to humiliate and degrade prisoners
b : to drag down in moral or intellectual character : corrupt the Indians who consume peyote buttons do not seem to be … morally degraded by the habit— Aldous Huxley
3 : to impair in respect to some physical property material degraded by exposure to sunlight
4 geology : to wear down by erosion degraded the hillside
5 chemistry : to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) : decompose

intransitive verb

1 : to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower causes the meat to degrade in quality
2 of a chemical compound : to become reduced in complexity plastics that don't easily degrade
Other Words from degrade Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about degrade

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Other Words from degrade

degrader noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for degrade

Synonyms

break, bust, demote, disrate, downgrade, reduce

Antonyms

advance, elevate, promote, raise

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Did You Know?

In Shakespeare's King Lear, the old king is degraded by the daughters he has given his kingdom to. He finds it degrading, for instance, when the number of his guards is reduced from 100 to 25. His degradation seems complete when, after going mad, he's reduced to living in the wilderness. As you can see, degrade is often a synonym for humiliate.

Examples of degrade in a Sentence

The group accuses the company of degrading women in its ads. He felt degraded by their remarks. Scratches on a camera lens will degrade the image. Pollution has degraded air quality.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Smoke from wildfires on the Kenai Peninsula and in the Susitna Valley has degraded air quality across Southcentral Alaska this week. — Annie Zak, Anchorage Daily News, "Lost Lake Run canceled over worries about wildfire smoke," 22 Aug. 2019 The ongoing fires will further degrade its function as a carbon sink. — oregonlive.com, "Amazon rainforest is ablaze, turning day into night in Sao Paulo," 21 Aug. 2019 Cotton fabrics derive their strength and softness from the length of the fibers, longer being better, meaning pulping degrades the quality of the material. — Marc Bain, Quartzy, "There’s never been a better time—or more need—to buy your clothes used," 16 Aug. 2019 Lyrics, harmonica, vocals: Peter Bode Guitar, bass, drums: Steve Medellin This song takes a serious tone, in the first verse condemning those who degraded our river, while highlighting the effects that irresponsible practice had on Clevelanders. — Laura Johnston, cleveland.com, "Two songs to commemorate Cuyahoga River’s 50 years reborn," 12 Aug. 2019 The helmet rule is designed to promote, not degrade, safety. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Examining Antonio Brown's Legal Options Against NFL Over Helmet Dispute," 11 Aug. 2019 Unlike forests, ecosystems in the tropics that are dominated by grass can be degraded not only by losing trees, but by gaining them too. — Caroline Lehmann, Quartz Africa, "When tree planting actually damages ecosystems," 28 July 2019 Current farming methods can also degrade soil more than 100 times faster than new soil is formed. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Report: we have to change how we use land and produce food to fight climate change," 8 Aug. 2019 Obstacles, such as window panes or tree branches, can degrade performance. — Julio Ojeda-zapata, Twin Cities, "Broadband on the go: Verizon turns on speedy 5G service in parts of St. Paul," 18 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'degrade.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of degrade

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

History and Etymology for degrade

Middle English, from Anglo-French degrader, from Late Latin degradare, from Latin de- + gradus step, grade — more at grade

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More Definitions for degrade

degrade

verb
How to pronounce degrade (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of degrade

: to treat (someone or something) poorly and without respect
: to make the quality of (something) worse
technical : to cause (something complex) to break down into simple substances or parts

See the full definition for degrade in the English Language Learners Dictionary

degrade

verb
de·​grade | \ di-ˈgrād How to pronounce degrade (audio) \
degraded; degrading

Kids Definition of degrade

1 : to lower in character or dignity Mom feels that dressing animals in costumes degrades them.
2 : to break down or separate into simpler parts or substances Bacteria will degrade the spilled pollutant.
3 : to reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree He was degraded to a private by his commander.

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