Degrade
/dɪˈɡɹeɪd/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To lower in value or social position. transitive
"Fred degrades himself by his behaviour."
- 2 lower the grade of something; reduce its worth wordnet
- 3 To reduce in quality or purity. ergative, intransitive
"The DNA sample has degraded."
- 4 reduce the level of land, as by erosion wordnet
- 5 To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down. transitive
Show 1 more definition
- 6 reduce in worth or character, usually verbally wordnet
Example
More examples"Don't degrade yourself by telling such a lie."
Etymology
From Middle French dégrader.