Degraded — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /di-ˈgrā-dəd/ de·grad·ed

Meaning & Definition of Degraded

Degraded (adjective)

  1. reduced far below ordinary standards of civilized life and conduct
  2. characterized by degeneration of structure or function

Degraded (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing lowered moral character or standards

    "many observers deplored the fact that the city's festivities for Mardi Gras had become a degraded, drunken celebration"

    similar: corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, demoralized, depraved, dissipated, dissolute, jackleg, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, rakehell, rakish, reprobate, sick, unclean, unwholesome, warped
    related: bent (chiefly British), crooked, cutthroat, dishonest, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, bad, evil, immoral, iniquitous, miscreant, nefarious, sinful, vicious, wicked
    opposite: pure, uncorrupt, uncorrupted
    near: incorruptible, ethical, honest, principled, good, moral, righteous, virtuous

Degraded (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring to a lower grade or rank

    "the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care"

    similar: broke, busted, demoted, disrated, downgraded, reduced
    related: canned, cashiered, dismissed, downsized, fired, laid off, sacked, abased, debased, demeaned, humbled, humiliated, lowered
    opposite: advanced, elevated, promoted, raised
    near: hired

  2. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume"

    similar: abased, bastardized, cankered, cheapened, corrupted, debased, debauched, demeaned, demoralized, depraved, deteriorated, lessened, perverted, poisoned, profaned, prostituted, subverted, vitiated, warped
    related: befouled, begrimed, contaminated, defiled, diluted, dirtied, polluted, tainted, thinned, watered down, weakened, descended, disgraced, dishonored, humbled, humiliated, shamed, took down, blemished, damaged, defaced, destroyed, flawed, harmed, hurt, impaired, marred, ruined, spoiled, stained, tarnished, wrecked, depreciated, downgraded
    opposite: elevated, ennobled, uplifted
    near: dignified, exalted, honored, ameliorated, amended, bettered, enhanced, enriched, improved, meliorated, perfected, clarified, cleaned, cleansed, purified, refined, restored, respected

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

    "the players degraded themselves with their crude antics off the field"

    similar: abased, chastened, cheapened, debased, demeaned, discredited, disgraced, dishonored, fouled, humbled, humiliated, lowered, sank, shamed, smirched, took down
    related: abashed, confounded, confused, discomfited, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed, fazed, flustered, mortified, nonplussed, rattled, belittled, castigated, cried down, criticized, decried, depreciated, detracted, diminished, discounted, disparaged, minimized, put down, ridiculed, wrote off, bad-mouthed, defamed, defiled, libeled, maligned, slandered, affronted, insulted, censured, condemned, damned, denounced, execrated, reprehended, reprobated
    opposite: aggrandized, canonized, deified, elevated, exalted
    near: acclaimed, applauded, boasted, celebrated, cheered, cited, commended, complimented, congratulated, decorated, eulogized, extolled, feted, hailed, honored, lauded, praised, saluted, touted, acknowledged, recognized, highlighted, played up, spotlighted, dignified, ennobled, enshrined, enskied, enthroned, glorified, magnified, advanced, boosted, lifted, promoted, raised, upgraded, uplifted, idealized, romanticized

Related Entry: Degrade (verb)

Degrade is a different word from Degraded. The synonyms below are for degrade, not for degraded.

  1. to bring to a lower grade or rank

    "the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care"

    similar: break, bust, demote, disrate, downgrade, reduce
    related: can, cashier, dismiss, downsize, fire, lay off, sack, abase, debase, demean, humble, humiliate, lower
    opposite: advance, elevate, promote, raise
    near: hire

  2. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume"

    similar: abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, 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

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

    "the players degraded themselves with their crude antics off the field"

    similar: abase, chasten, cheapen, debase, 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 Degraded

The most common words with a similar meaning to Degraded:

corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, demoralized, depraved, dissipated, dissolute, jackleg, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, rakehell, rakish, reprobate, sick, unclean, unwholesome, warped, broke, busted, demoted, disrated, downgraded, reduced, abased, bastardized, cankered, cheapened, corrupted, demeaned, deteriorated, lessened, poisoned, profaned, prostituted, subverted, vitiated

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Degraded

Words with the opposite meaning of Degraded:

pure, uncorrupt, uncorrupted, advanced, elevated, promoted, raised, ennobled, uplifted, aggrandized, canonized, deified, exalted

Related Words for Degraded

bent, crooked, cutthroat, dishonest, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, bad, evil, immoral, iniquitous, miscreant, nefarious, sinful, vicious, wicked, canned, cashiered, dismissed, downsized, fired, laid off, sacked, befouled, begrimed, defiled, diluted

Near Antonyms of Degraded

incorruptible, ethical, honest, principled, good, moral, righteous, virtuous, hired, dignified, honored, ameliorated, amended, bettered, enhanced, enriched, improved, meliorated, perfected, clarified, cleaned, cleansed, purified, refined, restored, respected, acclaimed, applauded, boasted, celebrated

Word Forms of Degraded

Derived words: degradedly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Degraded

First known use: 1643

Frequently Asked Questions about Degraded

What does "Degraded" mean?

"Degraded" means reduced far below ordinary standards of civilized life and conduct. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: reduced far below ordinary standards of civilized life and conduct. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Degraded"?

Other words for "Degraded" include corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, demoralized, depraved and dissipated. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Degraded" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Degraded"?

There are 141 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Degraded". Common alternatives include corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, demoralized, depraved, dissipated, dissolute and jackleg.

What is the opposite of "Degraded"?

Antonyms of "Degraded" include pure, uncorrupt, uncorrupted, advanced, elevated, promoted, raised and ennobled. Near antonyms include incorruptible, ethical, honest and principled.

How do you use "Degraded" in a sentence?

Examples of "Degraded" in a sentence: "many observers deplored the fact that the city's festivities for Mardi Gras had become a degraded, drunken celebration"; "the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care"; "degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume".

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

"Degraded" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Degraded"?

"Degraded" is pronounced /di-ˈgrā-dəd/ and divided into syllables as de·grad·ed.

What is the origin of the word "Degraded"?

First known use: 1643.