demeaning

American  

[dih-mee-ning] / dɪˈmi nɪŋ /

adjective

1. that demeans; demean; debasing; degrading.

   Being forced to apologize when I had done nothing wrong was a demeaning task.

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Etymology

Origin of demeaning

First recorded in 1875–80; demean ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Industry experts at the time said the image put off potential Oscar voters and upset Black activists who claimed he was perpetuating demeaning racial stereotypes.

From Los Angeles Times

"And I don't say that in any demeaning sense because for white southerners, it's not easy to rid ourselves of all the prejudices that we have born over the centuries."

From BBC

Bureaucrats have bristled at the term as misleading and demeaning.

From The Wall Street Journal

Losing your job might be demeaning, but losing your integrity for the shot at a job is dehumanizing.

From Salon

In practice, it led to some of the most demeaning tactics schools have ever deployed against their own students.

From Salon

Related Words

• defamatory
• degrading
• disparaging
• sarcastic
• slanderous
• unflattering