Don't degrade yourself by telling such a lie.
Source: tatoeba (41678)
Degrade
/dɪˈɡɹeɪd/
Synonyms for "degrade" (342 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (69)
Verb(27 words)
Adjective(4 words)
Noun(11 words)
blightingbreakingbututcoarseningcompromisecorruptingcultural declinesdamagedamaged conditiondamagesdamaging
Strong matches (102)
Verb(41 words)
debasingdecaydecayeddecomposedecomposesdefileddegeneratedegeneratingdegeneresdehumanisedehumanizedehumanizeddehumanizesdemeaneddemeansdemoteddemotesdemotingdepravesderogating
Show 21 more words
Adjective(3 words)
Noun(14 words)
decaysdecline in functiondegenerate formdegeneratesdegradingdemeaningdesecratingdespoilingdestroyingdetrimentsdishonoringdistort quotedowngradesdowngrading
Related words (171)
Verb(46 words)
embrittleenervateerodederodesfuzzedglitchinghumiliatehumiliatedhumiliatesimpairedimpairingimpairsimpoverishinsultlanguishlapsingleave in disarraymaimedmalfunctionedmarred
Show 26 more words
expelfirefloutfoulfurloughgive the axgive the gatehold in contempthumblehumiliateimpute shame toinfectkickkick upstairsknockknock downlay offlessenlet golet out
Show 63 more words
lourlowermake little ofmake redundantminimizemisusemortifypension offpervertpillorypoisonpolluteprofaneprostitutepullput downput to shameravageravishread out ofreducereflect discredit uponreleaseremovereplacereproachretirerule outrun downsackseduceseparate forciblyset downshamesinkslightspeak ill ofstripstrip of ranksubmit to indignitysuperannuatesurplussuspendtainttaketake downtarnishthintrip upturn offturn outtwistulcerateunfrockunmanunseatviolatevitiatevulgarizewarpwater downweakenworsen
Noun(37 words)
failingfraysgo wronghoneycombinghumiliatingimperfectsimpoverishingmarmarsmoldersnastrotsrottingruin artrustsappingsleazesslumsspoilsstoop
Show 17 more words
stoopingsuperannuatingtarnishtattersthrashesthrashingunravellingvandalwater quality declineweakeningwear awaywear losswearingweatheringweathering processweathering rateworsening
Adjective(5 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: demean, abase, abased, abases, abash.
- Sentence evidence is available for degrade, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "degrade".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "degrade"
Keep "degrade" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "degrade" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "degrade", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "degrade" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
19 entriesShowing 16 of 19 words.
More specific
9 entriesCollocations
6 entriesbiological degradationchemical degradationdegradable materialdegradation rateenvironmental degradationrate of degradation
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
Batteries degrade over time.
Source: tatoeba (6566679)
Systems in which the rules are based on usage, such as languages or customary law, are condemned to become absurd, cumbersome and contradictory, since every time a small error slips into one of their usages, it is integrated into the rules, by definition, for eternity. The more users are ignorant, the more systems degrade rapidly. English, poorly used by millions of people, natives or not, for centuries, is an example of the degradation of a system at terminal stage, no longer presenting any logic, neither in its syntax, nor its grammar, nor its vocabulary or its pronunciation. Similarly, with customary rights becoming too cumbersome and incomprehensible, the states which rely on them tend to switch to prescriptive law.
Source: tatoeba (6841089)
I do not degrade you. I purify you.
Source: tatoeba (7842548)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "degrade"?
Closest matches include demean, abase, abased, abases, abash.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "degrade"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.