degrade

[dih-greyd, dee-greyd] / dɪˈgreɪd, diˈgreɪd /

VERB

shame, humiliate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cheapen corrupt debase degenerate demean deteriorate diminish discredit disgrace downgrade impair lessen reduce vitiate weaken

STRONG

abase belittle bench break bump bust canker debauch decry demote depose deprave derogate detract disbar dishonor disparage humble injure lower pan pervert sink slam

WEAK

bemean cast down cut down to size declass mudsling put down rule out run down shoot down take down take down a peg tear down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist develop enhance enlarge expand extend grow help honor improve increase praise purify raise strengthen upgrade

STRONG

build up compliment exalt fix flatter laud mend promote rise

WEAK

admire approve elevate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Iran has also shown in weeks of skirmishes that it has more than enough missiles to stay in the fight despite U.S. and Israeli efforts to degrade those capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Missions have limited time to gather enough sunlight driven X-ray signals, and detectors can degrade during long periods in space.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

The former is a truly abysmal “spy film,” if you can degrade the genre by calling it that, while the latter is the best in the franchise, which isn’t saying much.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026

In response to near-daily Russian bombardments, Ukraine regularly strikes Russian territory, saying it hits military and energy sites to degrade Moscow's capacity to fund its offensive.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

No generation has the right to dictate to another what its culture ought to be, or to degrade its choices as stupid and offensive.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Vocabulary lists containing degrade

30 GRE Words Beginning with "D"

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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How Low Can You Go? Synonyms for "Downward"

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