debase

American  

[dih-beys] / dɪˈbeɪs /

verb (used with object)

debased, debasing

1. to reduce in quality or value; adulterate.

   They debased the value of the dollar.

   Synonyms:

   defile, pollute, contaminate, corrupt, vitiate, lower

2. to lower in rank, dignity, or significance.

   He wouldn't debase himself by doing manual labor.

   Synonyms:

   reduce, demean, abase, degrade

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debase British  

/ dɪˈbeɪsɪdnɪs, dɪˈbeɪs /

verb

1. (tr) to lower in quality, character, or value, as by adding cheaper metal to coins; adulterate

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Other Word Forms

• debasedness noun
• debasement noun
• debaser noun
• debasingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of debase

First recorded in 1555–65; de- + base ²; abase

Explanation

To debase something is to make it corrupt or impure. If your lemonade stand sells “pure lemonade,” you’d insist on using real lemons instead of a mix; using a mix would debase your product. Debase is often used in the context of two things: coins and people. To debase a coin is to replace some of the precious metal in the coin with metal of lesser value. To debase a person is to corrupt them, often by driving them to perform an immoral act like (gasp!) using the lemonade mix. Just promise us you won’t do it.

Example Sentences

These stories tell us that Diogenes was chased out of his native Sinope, on the north coast of what’s now Turkey, for his supposed role in a scheme to debase the city’s currency.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

As the string score starts having palpitations, “Babygirl” threatens to debase itself by becoming a throwback thriller.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2024

Trust me, I’ve made the mistake of debating perhaps the world’s most infamous anti-vaccine figure, and all it does is debase science and harm the public.

From Scientific American • Jun. 29, 2023

The word has the pretense of a neutral reference, but is increasingly used to debase and belittle the underlying meaning of anti-racism and anti-bigotry.

From Salon • May 5, 2021

He replied to Pavlov that he could not debase his own standards of sportsmanship and would see the match through despite Fischer’s outrageous conduct.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• cheapen
• demean
• demoralize
• disgrace
• dishonor
• humiliate