| Main Entry: | degrade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | shame, humiliate |
Synonyms: |
abase, belittle, bemean, bench, break, bump, bust, canker, cast down, cheapen, corrupt, cut down to size, debase, debauch, declass, decry, degenerate, demean, demote, depose, deprave, derogate, deteriorate, detract, diminish, disbar, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, downgrade, humble, impair, injure, lessen, lower, mudsling, pan, pervert, put down, reduce, rule out, run down, shoot down, sink, slam, take down a peg, take down, tear down, vitiate, weaken |
Antonyms: |
admire, approve, elevate, honor, promote, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | degrading |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | debasing |
Synonyms: |
cheapening, demeaning, derogatory, disgraceful, downgrading, humiliating, lowering |
| Main Entry: | abase |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deprive of self-esteem, confidence |
Synonyms: |
belittle, debase, degrade, demean, diminish, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, lower, mortify, reduce, shame |
Antonyms: |
cherish, dignify, exalt, extol, honor, respect |
| Main Entry: | adulterate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | alter or debase, often for profit |
Synonyms: |
alloy, amalgamate, attenuate, blend, cheapen, commingle, contaminate, cook, corrupt, cut*, defile, degrade, denature, depreciate, deteriorate, devalue, dilute, dissolve, doctor up, doctor*, falsify, impair, infiltrate, intermix, irrigate, lace, make impure, mingle, mix, phony up, plant*, pollute, shave, spike*, taint, thin, transfuse, vitiate, water down, weaken |
Antonyms: |
clarify, clean, cleanse, distill, filter, free, purify, refine |
| Main Entry: | bastardize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | debase |
Synonyms: |
adulterate, bestialize, brutalize, corrupt, debauch, declare illegitimate, degrade, demoralize, deprave, pervert, vitiate, warp |
Antonyms: |
appreciate, praise, value |
| Main Entry: | break |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | weaken, cause instability |
Synonyms: |
bankrupt, bust, confound, confute, controvert, cow, cripple, declass, degrade, demerit, demoralize, demote, disconfirm, dispirit, disprove, downgrade, enervate, enfeeble, humiliate, impair, impoverish, incapacitate, pauperize, rebut, reduce, refute, ruin, subdue, tame, undermine |
| Notes: | to brake is to slow or stop while break is to cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently, smash or crack |
Antonyms: |
stabilize, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | cheapen |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | diminish worth |
Synonyms: |
abase, beat down, belittle, corrupt, damage, debase, decline, decry, degrade, demean, denigrate, depreciate, derogate, devalue, discredit, disparage, downgrade, drop, fall, lose value, lower, mar, mark down, minimize, reduce, render worthless, ruin, spoil, undervalue, write off |
Antonyms: |
appreciate, enhance, increase, raise, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | commercialize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | prepare for saleability |
Synonyms: |
advertise, cheapen, degrade, depreciate, develop as business, lessen, lower, make bring returns, make marketable, make pay, make profitable, make saleable, market, sell |
| Main Entry: | corrupt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | pervert; pollute |
Synonyms: |
abase, abuse, adulterate, animalize, bastardize, blemish, blight, bribe, contaminate, damage, debase, debauch, decay, decompose, deface, defile, deform, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, depreciate, despoil, disfigure, disgrace, dishonor, fix, grease palm, harm, hurt, ill-treat, impair, infect, injure, lower, lure, maltreat, mar, mistreat, misuse, outrage, pull down, putrefy, ravage, reduce, rot, ruin, spoil, square, stain, suborn, subvert, taint, undermine, violate, vitiate, warp, waste |
Antonyms: |
better, chasten, cleanse, dignify, improve, purify |
| Main Entry: | defile |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | corrupt, violate |
Synonyms: |
abuse, adulterate, befoul, besmirch, contaminate, debase, deflower, degrade, desecrate, dirty, discolor, disgrace, dishonor, hurt, maculate, make foul, mess up*, molest, muck up, pollute, profane, rape, ravish, scuzz up, seduce, shame, smear, soil, stain, sully, taint, tar, tarnish, trash, vitiate |
Antonyms: |
clean, clease, hallow, honor, purify, sanctify |