| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | corrupt, lead astray |
| Synonyms: | bastardize, bestialize, brutalize, debase, debauch, degrade, demoralize, pervert, seduce, subvert, vitiate, warp |
| Antonyms: | ennoble, improve, moralize |
| Main Entry: | bastardize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | debase |
| Synonyms: | adulterate, bestialize, brutalize, corrupt, debauch, declare illegitimate, degrade, demoralize, deprave, pervert, vitiate, warp |
| Antonyms: | appreciate, praise, value |
| Main Entry: | canker |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blight, corrupt |
| Synonyms: | animalize, bestialize, consume, corrode, debase, debauch, demoralize, deprave, embitter, envenom, inflict, pervert, poison, pollute, rot, ruin, scourge, sore, stain, ulcer, vitiate |
| Main Entry: | contaminate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | adulterate |
| Synonyms: | alloy, befoul, corrupt, debase, debauch, defile, deprave, desecrate, dirty, harm, infect, injure, muck up, pervert, poison, pollute, profane, radioactivate, soil, spoil, stain, sully, taint, tarnish, vitiate |
| Antonyms: | clean, cure, heal, purify, sterilize |
| Main Entry: | corrupt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | pervert; pollute |
| Synonyms: | abase, abuse, adulterate, animalize, bastardize, blemish, blight, bribe, contaminate, damage, debase, debauch, decay, decompose, deface, defile, deform, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, depreciate, despoil, disfigure, disgrace, dishonor, fix, grease palm, harm, hurt, ill-treat, impair, infect, injure, lower, lure, maltreat, mar, mistreat, misuse, outrage, pull down, putrefy, ravage, reduce, rot, ruin, spoil, square, stain, suborn, subvert, taint, undermine, violate, vitiate, warp, waste |
| Antonyms: | better, chasten, cleanse, dignify, improve, purify |
| Main Entry: | debase |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | degrade, shame |
| Synonyms: | abase, bemean, cast down, cheapen, corrupt, cripple, debauch, debilitate, demean, demoralize, deprave, devaluate, devalue, disable, disgrace, dishonor, drag down, dump on, enfeeble, fluff off, humble, humiliate, lower, put away, put down, reduce, sap, shoot down, sink, take down a peg, take down, undermine, weaken |
| Antonyms: | elevate, honor, laud, praise, upgrade, value |
| Main Entry: | degenerate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | decay, deteriorate |
| Synonyms: | backslide, come apart at seams, corrode, corrupt, decline, decrease, deprave, descend, die on vine, disimprove, disintegrate, fall off, go downhill, go to pieces, go to the dogs, lapse, lessen, regress, retrogress, return, revert, rot, sink, slip, vitiate, worsen |
| Notes: | to degenerate means 'to decline in value, move lower on a scale' but to deteriorate means 'to worsen, to become lowered, or be reduced in value'; degenerate pertains more to character and virtue while deteriorate is more about loss of strength or vitality |
| Antonyms: | develop, improve |
| Main Entry: | degrade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | shame, humiliate |
| Synonyms: | abase, belittle, bemean, bench, break, bump, bust, canker, cast down, cheapen, corrupt, cut down to size, debase, debauch, declass, decry, degenerate, demean, demote, depose, deprave, derogate, deteriorate, detract, diminish, disbar, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, downgrade, humble, impair, injure, lessen, lower, mudsling, pan, pervert, put down, reduce, rule out, run down, shoot down, sink, slam, take down a peg, take down, tear down, vitiate, weaken |
| Antonyms: | admire, approve, elevate, honor, promote, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | demoralize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | corrupt, pervert |
| Synonyms: | bastardize, bestialize, brutalize, debase, debauch, deprave, lower, vitiate, warp |
| Antonyms: | make good, moralize, purify |