DEGRADE
Dictionary entry overview: What does degrade mean?
• DEGRADE (verb)
The verb DEGRADE has 3 senses:
1. reduce the level of land, as by erosion
2. reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
3. lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
Familiarity information: DEGRADE used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• DEGRADE (verb)
Meaning:
Reduce the level of land, as by erosion
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Antonym:
aggrade (build up to a level by depositing sediment)
Meaning:
Reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
demean; degrade; disgrace; take down; put down
Context examples:
She tends to put down younger women colleagues / His critics took him down after the lecture
Hypernyms (to "degrade" is one way to...):
abase; chagrin; humble; humiliate; mortify (cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "degrade"):
reduce (lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation)
dehumanise; dehumanize (deprive of human qualities)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Meaning:
Lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
cheapen; degrade
Hypernyms (to "degrade" is one way to...):
aggravate; exacerbate; exasperate; worsen (make worse)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "degrade"):
devaluate; devalue (remove the value from; deprive of its value)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
