abase

This legal tactic—a sensible move by any defense attorney—would abase the proceedings with another cliché of human banalities: the family squabble.

From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2021

It is far more appropriate to take strength from an ultimately uplifting afternoon than abase oneself over an inconsequential refereeing call.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 5, 2018

Why do you need to abase and demean me?

From New York Times ● Sep. 29, 2018

More than that, he’s willing to abase himself in extraordinary ways.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 13, 2018

And yet when he says, “I am from outer space,” some of you actually shut your eyes, abase your intellects, and believe!

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

I find myself captivated by how easily he abases himself without getting maudlin.

From New York Times ● Jan. 19, 2024

Russian law says inmates must not be treated in a way that is "harsh" or "abases human dignity".

From Reuters ● Oct. 6, 2021

Russian law says inmates must not be treated in a way that is "harsh" or "abases human dignity."

From Reuters ● Oct. 5, 2021

These are they Who ride on the court gale, control its tides; *** Whose frown abases and whose smile exalts.

From The Trampling of the Lilies by Sabatini, Rafael

The monastery is passive spirituality, the College of Adepts is active spirituality; the monastery abases itself before God, the Adepts seek to become as gods.

From Evelyn Innes by Moore, George (George Augustus)

Much of the classical music industry has since abased itself at Mäkelä’s feet.

From New York Times ● Apr. 27, 2023

I hadn’t abased myself, on my knees, scrubbing toilets at the level and in constant sight of my drill instructor’s crotch just to join a club.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 18, 2018

He so thoroughly abased himself that he literally ate the excrement of a patrolman’s steed.

From Slate ● Feb. 5, 2018

In short, the movie feels, if not exactly glamorous, then simultaneously overly processed and overwrought, even when it’s wallowing in the most abased behavior.

From Washington Post ● May 19, 2016

He had admired her, and kissed her, and quite often during their engagement had abased himself at her feet.

From The Pastor's Wife by Arnim, Elizabeth von

Many people come to the politically incorrect boards of 4chan and 8chan from video-game communities, where players looking to laugh at an abasing joke or chat about violent games without offending anyone can find friends.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2019

How easily she could picture Oliver abasing himself before this girl by talking about that little out-of-the-way shop, how he’d known the owner for thirty years since his days as a foreign correspondent.

From The New Yorker ● Aug. 20, 2018

Before the company, she reiterated the ballet’s gesture of amorous veneration, making her arms a halo that she drew over his head, shoulders, torso, and legs, abasing herself at his feet.

From New York Times ● Jun. 25, 2017

Twenty-two years earlier, he had saved his career by addressing a supposed scandal with his nationally broadcast “Checkers speech,” which was mawkish, abasing and effective.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 1, 2016

The result was tangible, but he had paid for it with the most abasing quarter-hour of his life, and Shelby, too, craved another atmosphere.

From The Henchman by Luther, Mark Lee