debase
verb[T]
uk/dɪˈbeɪs/us/dɪˈbeɪs/to make something less good or lessvaluable:
Somearguethatmoneyhas debasedfootball.有人说金钱腐蚀了足球运动。
We debaselanguageby using itinappropriatelyuntil itlosesitsmeaning.
to make someonemorallyworseor lessdeservingofrespect:
War debases those who takepartin it.
He would not debase himself byenteringsuch apopularitycontest.
debase the coinage/currency
tolowerthevalueofmoney, forinstanceby makingmetalcoinsfrom a lessvaluablesubstance,borrowingtoo much against thecurrentvalueof thatmoney, etc. :
The only way out of this is to debase thecurrency.
- Thiscultureofentitlementdebases theconceptofmeaningfulwork.
- Hisworkennoblestheartofcinema, while so many otherpeopledebase it.
- Universitydegreeshave been debased and nolongerofferthepromiseof goodjobsand goodsalaries, butsimplyyearsofdebt.
- Hearguesthat thedisplayof thenakedbodycelebratesratherthan debases it.
Deteriorating and making worse
- add
- admin
- aggravate
- backslide
- be (all) downhillidiom
- deteriorate
- deterioration
- devaluation
- devalue
- disintegrate
- dog
- make matters worseidiom
- one step forward, two steps backidiom
- regress
- regression
- regressive
- relapse
- wear thinidiom
- worse
- worsen
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Morally wrong and evil
Humiliating and degrading