degrade C1 Topic:Describing Qualities US /dɪˈɡɹeɪd/ UK /dɪˈɡɹeɪd/ See IPA manual Freq #28101 Meanings 1 verb To treat someone without respect, making them feel worthless or ashamed. He felt the comments were meant to degrade and humiliate him. 2 verb To make something worse in quality, strength, or condition. Exposure to sunlight gradually degrades the plastic. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to treat someone without... debasedemeandisgrace Word family Forms degradeddegrades Derived forms biodegradedegradabilitydegradabledegradantdegradationdegradeedegradementdegraderdegradomedegradomicsdegradosomedegron Etymology AI details From Middle French dégrader. Topics Describing Qualities External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # degrade **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /dɪˈɡɹeɪd/ **IPA (UK):** /dɪˈɡɹeɪd/ **Frequency rank:** 28101 ## Meanings 1. To treat someone without respect, making them feel worthless or ashamed. 2. To make something worse in quality, strength, or condition. ## Examples - He felt the comments were meant to degrade and humiliate him. - Exposure to sunlight gradually degrades the plastic. ## Derived Forms - biodegrade - degradability - degradable - degradant - degradation - degradee - degradement - degrader - degradome - degradomics - degradosome - degron ## Etymology From Middle French dégrader. ## AI Etymology Degrade is from Middle French dégrader. In present-day use, it can mean to treat someone without respect, making them feel worthless or ashamed, or to make something worse in quality, strength, or condition. Derived formations include biodegrade, degradability, degradable, degradant, and degradation. ## Topics - Describing Qualities markdown