degrade

/di'greid/

Thân thiện

The teacher explained that littering can degrade the environment.

Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To lower in grade, rank, or status; to reduce the quality, value, or dignity of someone or something.
   • To cause a decline in physical condition or moral character; to corrupt or debase.
   • (Geology) To wear down or reduce the level of land through erosion.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To decline in quality, condition, or character; to degenerate.

Usage and Examples

• Verb (transitive):

  • The general decided to degrade the officer for insubordination. (To lower in rank)
  • Plastic waste can degrade the environment over many years. (To reduce quality/value)
  • He felt his boss was trying to degrade him in front of the team. (To reduce dignity)
  • The river's flow has degraded the canyon walls over millennia. (Geology: to wear down)

• Verb (intransitive):

  • If left untreated, the material will degrade when exposed to sunlight. (To decline in quality)
  • The political discourse has degraded into personal insults. (To degenerate)

Advanced Usage

• "to degrade oneself": to lower one's own dignity or moral standards.

  • He refused to degrade himself by accepting the bribe.

• Scientific/Technical Context: Refers to the breakdown of a substance.

  • Bacteria help organic matter degrade into compost.

Variants and Related Words

• Degradation (n): The process or state of being degraded.

  • Environmental degradation is a major concern.

• Degrading (adj): Causing a loss of self-respect; humiliating.

  • She found the experience deeply degrading.

Synonyms

• Demote: To lower in rank (specific to position).
• Debase: To reduce in quality or value, often morally.
• Deteriorate: To become worse (often intransitive).
• Humiliate: To make someone feel ashamed (focus on emotional effect).

Phrasal Verbs / Common Constructions

• Degrade into: To gradually change into a worse state.
  • The debate degraded into a shouting match.

Related Idioms

• To be a degrading experience: An experience that causes one to feel a loss of dignity.
  • Working in such poor conditions was a degrading experience for the skilled workers.

Học thuật

Verb

1. lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
2. reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
   • She tends to put down younger women colleagues
   • His critics took him down after the lecture
3. reduce the level of land, as by erosion

Từ đồng nghĩa

• cheapen
• take down
• disgrace
• demean
• put down