1
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
we debase ourselves when we adopt the moral code and behavior of our despised enemies
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
our failure to win a single game completely debased us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the debasement of professional sports to a shamelessly commercial enterprise
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debase
Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
After the second-longest bout of hyperinflation on record anywhere (with 45 months in hyperinflationary conditions between 2017 and 2021), the government is preparing to further debase the bolivar, the nation’s ailing currency.
—Moisés Naím, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2021
By that time – perhaps only a decade from now, perhaps longer – the dollar may have been debased so badly that one bitcoin might be priced at $1 trillion or more.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
Bitcoin’s edge over gold lies in its unparalleled scarcity and technological attributes—a mix between a tech stock and gold that cannot be debased and can settle globally in minutes.
—Ansel Lindner, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for debase
Verb
Christ reduced to a potato chip, debased and vilified like two thousand years ago.
—Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
After the second-longest bout of hyperinflation on record anywhere (with 45 months in hyperinflationary conditions between 2017 and 2021), the government is preparing to further debase the bolivar, the nation’s ailing currency.
—Moisés Naím, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2021
By that time – perhaps only a decade from now, perhaps longer – the dollar may have been debased so badly that one bitcoin might be priced at $1 trillion or more.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
Bitcoin’s edge over gold lies in its unparalleled scarcity and technological attributes—a mix between a tech stock and gold that cannot be debased and can settle globally in minutes.
—Ansel Lindner, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for debase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debase
Verb
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The conspiratorial right aims to degrade the state’s ability to collect taxes, conduct diplomacy, prosecute violations of civil rights, and otherwise carry out its duties.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
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In sum, proper use of AI should be encouraged, as opposed to this case where the D grade appeared to degrade its use.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In one sentence, Hegseth turned a conflict, in which Moscow had been roundly diminished and humiliated for three years, into the chaotic re-ordering of continental security, in which Moscow may somehow dominate to its west.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN,
24 Feb. 2025
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Zachary Basu Feb 15, 2025 - Politics & Policy Trump strangles Europe President Trump stunned, strangled and humiliated Europe — leaving America's closest continental ally dazed and dumbfounded.—
Courtenay Brown,
Axios,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Warming is also altering rain patterns, accelerating droughts, facilitating the spread of devastating diseases like pod rot, and contributing to soil degradation.—
Ayurella Horn-Muller,
WIRED,
22 Feb. 2025
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Finding the right chemistry The degradation of battery performance is largely a matter of its key components gradually dropping out of use within the battery.—
John Timmer,
Ars Technica,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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This time around, the writers subvert the whole concept of having an In Memorian section at all.—
Joe Berkowitz,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2025
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Romance writers are excellent at combining tropes, of subverting the traditional view of a trope, and applying tropes to an infinite number of new settings, characters, and conflicts.—
Denise Williams,
People.com,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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And a cover-up may have furthered the aims of domestic espionage operations like the CIA’s CHAOS and the FBI’s COINTELPRO, which targeted and discredited radical movements whether hippies, Black Panthers, or anti-war activists.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2025
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Yes, but: King's family is concerned that Trump's order to release records about his assassination could revive the FBI's attempts to discredit him — efforts that sought to exploit his indiscretions with women and undermine his legacy, sources close to his relatives told Axios.—
Russell Contreras,
Axios,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The mayor has been under sharp scrutiny since President Trump’s Department Justice Department last week ordered prosecutors in his federal corruption case to drop the criminal charges against him.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2025
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Four deputy mayors from New York City Mayor Eric Adams' administration resigned Monday after the Justice Department moved to dismiss Adams' corruption case.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Fed officials are closely monitoring inflation and the labor market for signs of a potentially weakening economy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2025
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In the fourth quarter of 2024, WK Kellogg reported net sales of $640 million, a decrease of 1.7% compared to $651 million in the same period in 2023, impacted by a 5.6% volume decline and a 40 basis point headwind from the weakening Canadian dollar.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The meme appeared on the BlueSky and LinkedIn platforms, where users called the company out for its inappropriate, demeaning nature.—
Sheila Callaham,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
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Trump has no mandate Also, as Trump tries to demean you with Putin’s false claim that your approval rating is at 4%, keep in mind that Trump barely won.—
Sabrina Haake,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debase. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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