- (v.t.) To reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree; to lower in rank; to deprive of office or dignity; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman or a general officer.
- (v.i.) To degenerate; to pass from a higher to a lower type of structure; as, a family of plants or animals degrades through this or that genus or group of genera.
- (v.t.) To reduce in estimation, character or reputation; to lessen the value of; to lower the physical, moral or intellectual character of; to debase; to bring shame or contempt upon; to disgrace; as, vice degrades a man.
- (v.t.) To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). degrade. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/degrade/definitions/1995497 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "degrade" http://smartdefine.org/degrade/definitions/1995497 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, degrade, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/degrade/definitions/1995497>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "degrade" 27 May 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/degrade/definitions/1995497> |