demean

¹

[ dih-meen ]

verb (used with object)

1. to lower in dignity, honor, or standing; debase:

   He demeaned himself by accepting the bribe.

   Synonyms: mortify, humiliate, humble, degrade

   Antonyms: honor, dignify

demean

²

[ dih-meen ]

verb (used with object)

1. to conduct or behave (oneself ) in a specified manner.

noun

1. Archaic. demeanor.

demean

¹

/ dɪˈmiːn /

verb

1. rare.
   tr to behave or conduct (oneself) in a specified way

demean

²

/ dɪˈmiːn /

verb

1. tr to lower (oneself) in dignity, status, or character; humble; debase

Word History and Origins

Origin of demean¹

1595–1605; de- + mean ², modeled on debase

Origin of demean²

1250–1300; Middle English deme ( i ) nen < Anglo-French, Old French demener, equivalent to de- de- + mener to lead, conduct < Latin mināre to drive, minārī to threaten

Word History and Origins

Origin of demean¹

C13: from Old French demener, from de- + mener to lead, drive, from Latin mināre to drive (animals), from minārī to use threats

Origin of demean²

C17: see de- , mean ²; on the model of debase

Example Sentences

“That’s normally good and positive and funny … but when these dynamics are being used to demean, mock or stigmatise others, it does raise the question of whether TikTok should be doing more to inform or educate users.”

From BBC

No matter how much proof the media musters about Donald Trump’s lies, crimes, and derelictions, no matter how eloquent the cases pundits make about his manifest unfitness for office, no matter how hard journalists try to document their processes and present their work in compelling ways, half the country continues to demean and disregard their efforts while choosing instead to trust real-estate hucksters, YouTube supplement salesmen, disheveled podcast conspiracists, and countless other unreliable sources that barely even bother to appear credible.

From Slate

Trump and his cohorts incessantly demean Harris as — to quote the ever-fading Tucker Carlson at the Sunday Trump rally — a “low-IQ former California prosecutor.”

From Los Angeles Times

The 2024 U.S. presidential campaign has featured some notable deepfakes — AI-powered impersonations of candidates that sought to mislead voters or demean the candidates being targeted.

From Los Angeles Times

“I was really surprised, number one, at the attempts to not only undermine policy direction, but also attempts to demoralize, demean, and discredit political appointees who are responsible for implementing the vision set out by President Trump,” said Mandy Gunasekara, who spent three years as a Trump appointee at the EPA, including a stint as Wheeler’s chief of staff.

From Salon

Related Words

• belittle
• debase
• degrade
• despise
• disparage