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
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 degrade Unlike digital datasets, physical robots degrade, require supervision, and must be constantly reset to maintain data quality, turning data generation into a continuous industrial operation rather than a one-off pipeline. —
Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026 Cheaper sets often use filler materials or nylon cores that can degrade over time. —Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026 Different types of cleaning products degrade at different rates, says Alex Reed, the co-founder of Truman's. —Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 19 Apr. 2026 Constantly using more fertilizer than crops require degrades the soil’s natural microbiome, making soil less productive over time, which requires farmers to use more fertilizer to compensate. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for degrade
Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026 Cheaper sets often use filler materials or nylon cores that can degrade over time. —Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026 Different types of cleaning products degrade at different rates, says Alex Reed, the co-founder of Truman's. —Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 19 Apr. 2026 Constantly using more fertilizer than crops require degrades the soil’s natural microbiome, making soil less productive over time, which requires farmers to use more fertilizer to compensate. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for degrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degrade
Verb
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Keep your focus inward, reduce noise, and protect your energy.— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
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Avoid planting garlic near peas, beans, and asparagus, as garlic may compete with these vegetables for nutrients (particularly nitrogen), inhibit their growth, and reduce their yield.— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Employees — unable to make payments without reimbursement — are watching their personal credit scores deteriorate as a result.— Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
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An old male Japanese macaque maintained alpha status as his ability to walk deteriorated, but only through an alliance with the alpha female.— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And the President doesn’t seem to mind if Vance humiliates himself running errands.— Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
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The series follows Sabrina (Ayres), who is humiliated and emotionally devastated after being betrayed by her boyfriend.— Ed Meza, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mavromatis alleges that she was demoted and then fired.— Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
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After an investigation, the lawsuit says Mavromatis was demoted to social media manager of merchandise.— Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Every time a middle-class family is forced to drain its wealth or pull back on discretionary spending just to absorb the logistical cost of a geopolitical crisis, the entire economy weakens.— Katica Roy, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
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But an industry post from commercial real estate analytics firm CoStar cites geopolitical conflict and high ticket prices for weakening demand and hotelier optimism.— Vivian Song, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Robert Brulle, a visiting professor at Brown University who studies fossil fuel lobbying, said ExxonMobil led efforts to discredit climate science that successfully impeded government intervention.— Alex Kuffner, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
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New science and forensics have since discredited the expert’s conclusion, prompting Gurley to throw out the convictions and order a new trial.— Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Buddy embraces the aesthetic of classic children’s television —complete with catchy songs and familiar tropes — before subverting it with a relentless descent into madness.— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
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Hoja has been subverting confident authorities for at least seven centuries, while refusing to be pinned down, even as a hero.— Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The transparency issue also became important after the board embarrassed itself by quietly boosting board members’ pay by 25% — with Foley being the only member opposed.— The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
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Watching a prodigy embarrass the world over 72 holes was riveting; equally captivating is following the same person be exposed by life, hubris and ego.— Mac Engel April 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/degrade. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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