Meanings
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1
verb
To treat someone without respect, making them feel worthless or ashamed.
He felt the comments were meant to degrade and humiliate him.
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2
verb
To make something worse in quality, strength, or condition.
Exposure to sunlight gradually degrades the plastic.
Thesaurus
Word family
Forms
degradeddegrades
Derived forms
biodegradedegradabilitydegradabledegradantdegradationdegradeedegradementdegraderdegradomedegradomicsdegradosomedegron
Etymology
From Middle French dégrader.