Abasing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ə-ˈbās/

Meaning & Definition of Abasing

Abasing (verb)

  1. to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem
  2. to lower physically

Abasing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "was unwilling to abase himself by pleading guilty to a crime that he did not commit"

    similar: bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading, demeaning, demoralizing, depraving, deteriorating, lessening, perverting, poisoning, profaning, prostituting, subverting, vitiating, warping
    related: befouling, begriming, contaminating, defiling, diluting, dirtying, polluting, tainting, thinning, watering down, weakening, descending, disgracing, dishonoring, humbling, humiliating, shaming, taking down, blemishing, damaging, defacing, destroying, flawing, harming, hurting, impairing, marring, ruining, spoiling, staining, tarnishing, wrecking, depreciating, downgrading
    opposite: elevating, ennobling, uplifting
    near: dignifying, exalting, honoring, ameliorating, amending, bettering, enhancing, enriching, improving, meliorating, perfecting, clarifying, cleaning, cleansing, purifying, refining, restoring, respecting

  2. to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes

    "I certainly don't abase myself when I do good, honest manual labor"

    similar: chastening, cheapening, debasing, degrading, demeaning, discrediting, disgracing, dishonoring, fouling, humbling, humiliating, lowering, shaming, sinking, smirching, taking down
    related: abashing, confounding, confusing, discomfiting, disconcerting, discountenancing, embarrassing, fazing, flustering, mortifying, nonplussing, rattling, belittling, castigating, criticizing, crying down, decrying, depreciating, detracting, diminishing, discounting, disparaging, minimizing, putting down, ridiculing, writing off, bad-mouthing, defaming, defiling, libeling, maligning, slandering, affronting, insulting, censuring, condemning, damning, denouncing, execrating, reprehending, reprobating
    opposite: aggrandizing, canonizing, deifying, elevating, exalting
    near: acclaiming, applauding, boasting, celebrating, cheering, citing, commending, complimenting, congratulating, decorating, eulogizing, extolling, feting, hailing, honoring, lauding, praising, saluting, touting, acknowledging, recognizing, highlighting, playing up, spotlighting, dignifying, ennobling, enshrining, enskying, enthroning, glorifying, magnifying, advancing, boosting, lifting, promoting, raising, upgrading, uplifting, idealizing, romanticizing

Related Entry: Abase (verb)

Abase is a different word from Abasing. The synonyms below are for abase, not for abasing.

  1. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "was unwilling to abase himself by pleading guilty to a crime that he did not commit"

    similar: bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp
    related: befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken, descend, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down, blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck, depreciate, downgrade
    opposite: elevate, ennoble, uplift
    near: dignify, exalt, honor, ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore, respect

  2. to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes

    "I certainly don't abase myself when I do good, honest manual labor"

    similar: chasten, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, foul, humble, humiliate, lower, shame, sink, smirch, take down
    related: abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle, belittle, castigate, criticize, cry down, decry, depreciate, detract, diminish, discount, disparage, minimize, put down, ridicule, write off, bad-mouth, defame, defile, libel, malign, slander, affront, insult, censure, condemn, damn, denounce, execrate, reprehend, reprobate
    opposite: aggrandize, canonize, deify, elevate, exalt
    near: acclaim, applaud, boast, celebrate, cheer, cite, commend, compliment, congratulate, decorate, eulogize, extol, fete, hail, honor, laud, praise, salute, tout, acknowledge, recognize, highlight, play up, spotlight, dignify, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnify, advance, boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift, idealize, romanticize

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Abasing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Abasing:

bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading, demeaning, demoralizing, depraving, deteriorating, lessening, perverting, poisoning, profaning, prostituting, subverting, vitiating, warping, chastening, discrediting, disgracing, dishonoring, fouling, humbling, humiliating, lowering, shaming, sinking, smirching, taking down

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Abasing

Words with the opposite meaning of Abasing:

elevating, ennobling, uplifting, aggrandizing, canonizing, deifying, exalting

Related Words for Abasing

befouling, begriming, contaminating, defiling, diluting, dirtying, polluting, tainting, thinning, watering down, weakening, descending, blemishing, damaging, defacing, destroying, flawing, harming, hurting, impairing, marring, ruining, spoiling, staining, tarnishing, wrecking, depreciating, downgrading, abashing, confounding

Near Antonyms of Abasing

dignifying, honoring, ameliorating, amending, bettering, enhancing, enriching, improving, meliorating, perfecting, clarifying, cleaning, cleansing, purifying, refining, restoring, respecting, acclaiming, applauding, boasting, celebrating, cheering, citing, commending, complimenting, congratulating, decorating, eulogizing, extolling, feting

Word Forms of Abasing

Inflections: abased

Derived words: abasement (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Abasing

alteration (conformed to base:3) of Middle English abessen, abaisen, abaschen, borrowed from Anglo-French abesser, abaisser, from a-, prefix in transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad-) + -besser, going back to Vulgar Latin *bassiāre "to lower," derivative of Late Latin bassus "fat, short, low" ad-, base:3

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Abasing

What does "Abasing" mean?

"Abasing" means to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem. As a verb, it is defined as: to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Abasing"?

Other words for "Abasing" include bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading and demeaning. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Abasing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Abasing"?

There are 98 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Abasing". Common alternatives include bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading, demeaning, demoralizing and depraving.

What is the opposite of "Abasing"?

Antonyms of "Abasing" include elevating, ennobling, uplifting, aggrandizing, canonizing, deifying and exalting. Near antonyms include dignifying, honoring, ameliorating and amending.

How do you use "Abasing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Abasing" in a sentence: "was unwilling to abase himself by pleading guilty to a crime that he did not commit"; "I certainly don't abase myself when I do good, honest manual labor".

Is "Abasing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Abasing" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Abasing"?

"Abasing" is pronounced /ə-ˈbās/.

What is the origin of the word "Abasing"?

"Abasing" comes from alteration (conformed to base:3) of Middle English abessen, abaisen, abaschen, borrowed from Anglo-French abesser, abaisser, from a-, prefix in transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad-) + -besser, going back to Vulgar Latin *bassiāre "to lower," derivative of Late Latin bassus "fat, short, low" ad-, base:3. First known use: 14th century.