degrade

Verb

Verb Forms: degraded, degrading, degrades

• To treat or regard someone with contempt or disrespect.
• reduce the level of land, as by erosion
• reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
• lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
• To lower in value or social position.
• To reduce in quality or purity.
• To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.

Examples

• A series of poor moves could degrade a strong Scrabble lead into a crushing defeat.
• Fred degrades himself by his behaviour.
• The DNA sample has degraded.

Synonyms

cheapen, demean, disgrace, put down, take down, debase

Antonyms

aggrade