degrade
dih-GRAYD
Degrade (verb) means to lower someone's dignity or status; to humiliate. Example: “The harsh comments were meant to degrade her in front of colleagues.”
verb
1
To lower someone's dignity or status; to humiliate.
"The harsh comments were meant to degrade her in front of colleagues."
2
To reduce something's quality, strength, or condition over time.
"The DNA sample has degraded."
"UV light gradually degrades plastic left outdoors."
How to use degrade
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo bring something or someone down in quality, condition, or status.
Common pairings
degrade the environment
degrade someone's dignity
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- degrades
- Past tense
- degraded
Fill the gap
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The harsh comments were meant to _____ her in front of colleagues.
Etymology
From Middle French dégrader, from Latin dē- ("down") + gradus ("step, rank").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
aggrade
Related words
Rhymes for degrade
See all rhymes for degrade →Frequently asked questions
What does “degrade” mean?
The word “degrade” means to lower someone's dignity or status; to humiliate. In plain terms, to bring something or someone down in quality, condition, or status.
How do you pronounce “degrade”?
“Degrade” is pronounced dih-GRAYD (/dɪˈɡɹeɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “degrade” in a sentence?
Here is “degrade” used in a sentence: “The harsh comments were meant to degrade her in front of colleagues.”
What part of speech is “degrade”?
“Degrade” is a verb.
Where does the word “degrade” come from?
The word “degrade” comes from Latin. From Middle French dégrader, from Latin dē- ("down") + gradus ("step, rank").
Is “degrade” a common word?
“Degrade” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “degrade” have?
“Degrade” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to lower someone's dignity or status; to humiliate.
