Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Ruined in character or quality: Having been made morally worse or less valuable; corrupted or degraded.
   • Lowered in value: Reduced in worth, especially in a financial or material sense.
   • Mixed with impurities: Diluted or adulterated by the addition of inferior substances.

Usage Examples

• Ruined in character or quality:
  • The scandal revealed a debased political system.
  • He was a man of debased morals, willing to lie for profit.
• Lowered in value:
  • The debased coinage caused inflation in the ancient empire.
  • A debased currency loses the trust of international markets.
• Mixed with impurities:
  • The gold was debased with cheaper metals.
  • They sold debased alcohol, which was dangerous to drink.

Advanced Usage

• "to debase oneself": to lower oneself in dignity or character; to act in a morally degrading way.
  • He debased himself by accepting the bribe.
• In a metaphorical sense: Can describe language, art, or culture that has been made vulgar or less refined.
  • Critics argued that the film debased the art of cinema.

Variants and Related Words

• Debase (verb): To reduce in quality, value, or character; to corrupt.
  • The king sought to debase the currency to pay for his wars.
• Debasement (noun): The act of debasing or the state of being debased.
  • The debasement of the language was evident in the crude slogans.

Synonyms

• Corrupted: Having been made morally unsound.
• Degraded: Reduced in quality or standing.
• Adulterated: Made impure by adding inferior substances.
• Devalued: Reduced in monetary value.

Antonyms

• Ennobled: Elevated in character or quality.
• Pure: Not mixed with any other substance; morally good.
• Valuable: Having great worth.

Related Phrases

• Debased standard: A lowered level of quality or morality that becomes accepted.
  • The constant violence on television leads to a debased standard for entertainment.
• Debase the coinage: A historical term for reducing the precious metal content in coins.
  • Roman emperors would often debase the coinage to fund their expenditures.

Adjective

1. ruined in character or quality
2. lowered in value
   • the dollar is low
   • a debased currency
3. mixed with impurities