Debasement

Currencies throughout history have fallen victim to debasement. Today, we avoid this problem by omitting the precious metals altogether.

His large water-dog was acquainted with the fact, and upon the approach of his master, betrayed his sense of inferiority by a sanctity of deportment, a debasement of the ears, and a dropping of the lower jaw not altogether unworthy of a dog.

She had given herself to Darrow, and concealed the episode from Owen Leath, with no more apparent sense of debasement than the vulgarest of adventuresses.

There's something ugly and fascinating about reading such intimate tales of debasement and depression and failure and self-doubt.