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

“Should I abase myself? Rub ashes in my hair? Tear my clothes?”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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

Forever afterwards he was a humbler and a gentler man because of that experience; understanding how squalor abases one, and how swiftly and stealthily an evil passion closes its grasp about the soul.

From Love's Pilgrimage by Upton Sinclair

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 George (George Augustus) Moore

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

Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

From Thoughts for the Quiet Hour by Various

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

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

Mercedes-Benz makes a lovely B-class electric car based on Tesla technology; but it has, as yet, no real stick in the EV ground beyond abasing itself to California clean-air authorities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2015

Collingwood dreamed of abasing himself, and of settling without delay all doubts as to his attitude.

From The Locusts' Years by Mary Helen Fee