demean

/di'mi:n/

Thân thiện

She demeaned her colleague with a harsh comment during the meeting.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To lower in dignity, status, or character: To cause someone to lose respect or to be perceived as less worthy, often through one's own actions or through the words/actions of others.
   • To behave or conduct (oneself) in a particular manner: (Archaic/Formal) To comport or behave in a specified way.

Usage

• The primary modern use of demean is as a transitive verb meaning to degrade or debase someone, often verbally or through treatment. It implies a reduction in perceived worth or honor.
• The reflexive form "demean oneself" is common, meaning to lower one's own dignity by doing something considered beneath one.
• The second, less common meaning related to behavior is now largely archaic but may appear in formal or literary contexts.

Examples

• Verb (to degrade):
  • The manager's constant criticism served only to demean his staff and lower morale.
  • She felt the joke was intended to demean her achievements.
  • He would not demean himself by responding to such baseless accusations.
• Verb (archaic: to behave):
  • The knight demeaned himself with great courage on the battlefield.

Advanced Usage

• "to demean oneself": This reflexive construction is the most frequent way to express the idea of self-degradation. It carries a strong connotation of acting in a way that is unworthy of one's own status or principles.
  • The celebrity refused to demean herself by participating in the sensationalist interview.

Variants and Related Words

• Demeaning (adj): Causing someone to lose dignity or respect; degrading.
  • She found the menial tasks to be demeaning.
• Demeanor (n): Outward behavior or bearing. (Note: This noun is related to the archaic verb form meaning "to conduct oneself" and does not carry the negative connotation of degradation.)
  • His professional demeanor impressed the interview panel.

Synonyms

• Degrade: To lower in character, quality, or value.
• Debase: To reduce in quality, value, or dignity.
• Belittle: To make someone or something seem less impressive or important.
• Disparage: To regard or represent as being of little worth.
• Humiliate: To make someone feel ashamed and foolish by injuring their dignity and pride.

Antonyms

• Dignify: To make something seem worthy and impressive.
• Honor: To regard with great respect.
• Exalt: To hold in very high regard.
• Elevate: To raise to a higher position or status.

Notes

• Caution: Do not confuse demean (to degrade) with the noun demeanor (behavior/manner). They share a historical root but have diverged in modern meaning.
• The word often involves a subjective judgment about what constitutes lowering dignity. What one person views as demeaning, another might not.

Học thuật

Verb

1. reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
   • She tends to put down younger women colleagues
   • His critics took him down after the lecture

Từ đồng nghĩa

• take down
• degrade
• disgrace
• put down