as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
bastardize the art form by adapting it to popular taste
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Recent Examples of bastardize
Over the years, though, the cocktail has become bastardized into a sugary drink containing all sorts of fruit juices and sweeteners, causing it to be denegrated alongside the likes of Long Island Ice Teas and Strawberry Daiquiris.
—
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2023
These white people in blackface entertained the masses with stereotypes of Blackness, bastardizing the Black identity in the process.
—Tayo Bero, refinery29.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Society, this week, also bastardized two wholesome childhood fixtures, SunnyD and Girl Scout Cookies.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 10 Mar. 2023
What does a profession license mean if you’re allowed to bastardize the court system that way.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2020
Videos that bastardize neighborhood names, or cluelessly treat storied establishments like new discoveries.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2022
To bastardize the bands Pablo Cruise or Yes, love will always find a way.
—Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2021
As a carcass decomposes, the bacteria in the body itself runs rampant, producing its signature stink and bastardizing the soil’s microbiome.
—Matt Simon, Wired, 21 Jan. 2020
The initial fear that the band was going to make a killing on wading-pool-deep music and basically bastardize country music was way off-base.
—Chuck Yarborough, cleveland, 8 Jan. 2020
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2023
These white people in blackface entertained the masses with stereotypes of Blackness, bastardizing the Black identity in the process.
—Tayo Bero, refinery29.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Society, this week, also bastardized two wholesome childhood fixtures, SunnyD and Girl Scout Cookies.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 10 Mar. 2023
What does a profession license mean if you’re allowed to bastardize the court system that way.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2020
Videos that bastardize neighborhood names, or cluelessly treat storied establishments like new discoveries.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2022
To bastardize the bands Pablo Cruise or Yes, love will always find a way.
—Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2021
As a carcass decomposes, the bacteria in the body itself runs rampant, producing its signature stink and bastardizing the soil’s microbiome.
—Matt Simon, Wired, 21 Jan. 2020
The initial fear that the band was going to make a killing on wading-pool-deep music and basically bastardize country music was way off-base.
—Chuck Yarborough, cleveland, 8 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastardize
Verb
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Keeping your phone fully charged or fully discharging the battery will degrade it slightly faster, and regularly swinging between full and empty will shorten its life.—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
19 Jan. 2025
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Moreover, Trump’s penchant for degrading the reputation of those around him will likely frustrate efforts by Vance to re-elevate his office.—
Roy Brownell,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The former president’s sweeping and even preemptive pardons subvert ongoing legal processes and, therefore, the law.—
Noah Rothman,
National Review,
21 Jan. 2025
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In a statement to The Hill, DNC Chair Jamie Harrison said Minnesota Republicans were attempting to subvert the will of the voters by looking to take the majority and Republican leadership.—
Lauren Irwin,
The Hill,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The media, the intelligence community, the military, law enforcement — by this screen legend’s usual estimation, these are potentially noble, valuable institutions corrupted from within.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2025
-
The two companies are suing the federal government, contending that politics corrupted its review process.—
Santul Nerkar,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
There will always be the influencers and celebrities, dressed head-to-toe by brands, somewhat diluting the street-style impact, but this season the main takeaway was wearable, relatable clothes.—
Alex Badia,
WWD,
22 Jan. 2025
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Or, dilute the liquid with water at a 1:100 ratio (2½ tablespoons of bokashi tea per 1 gallon of water) to make a liquid organic plant fertilizer.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
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My neighbor invited me to dinner, then humiliated me in front of the other women Miss Manners: Strangers keep telling me distressing stories.—
Judith Martin,
The Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2025
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The Ravens, particularly bruising runner Derrick Henry, humiliated the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night.—
Tim Graham,
The Athletic,
13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The sense of disharmony is immediate: a familiar scene of youth and learning is grimly debased into one of peril.—
Kyle Chayka,
The New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2025
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Mubarak and his successors may have debased Egypt’s power and influence, but Egyptian words still carry weight in the region.—
Steven A. Cook,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Oct. 2016
Verb
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However, critics worry bringing minority parties into the majority tent weakens legislative scrutiny.—
Charlie Campbell,
TIME,
22 Jan. 2025
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Beijing has also been working to repair ties with American allies like Japan to try to weaken the security alliances forged by the Biden administration to constrain China.—
David Pierson,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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By the time the show opened on Friday, the Eaton Fire, which is now 95 percent contained, had burned over 14,000 acres and destroyed over 9,000 structures in Altadena, Pasadena, and other areas nearby.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
27 Jan. 2025
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The video was released Sunday by a law firm representing a woman whose house was destroyed by the fire and is suing Southern California Edison, the primary electrical utility for Los Angeles.—
Michelle Watson,
CNN,
27 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near bastardize
Cite this Entry
“Bastardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastardize. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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