degraded
Americanadjective
-
reduced in rank, position, reputation, etc..
He felt degraded by the trivial tasks assigned to him.
-
reduced in quality or value; debased; vulgarized.
the degraded level of the modern novel.
Other Word Forms
- degradedly adverb
- degradedness noun
- undegraded adjective
Etymology
Origin of degraded
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; see origin at degrade, -ed 2
Vocabulary lists containing degraded
"The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848)
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"Ellen West" by Frank Bidart
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The substantial amount of time that passed between her death and the discovery meant that crucial evidence had degraded or disappeared."
From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026
A new project will "transform" degraded coastal environments through the installation of "pioneering" floating wetlands.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Molecular glue is a technology that promotes the stickiness of disease-causing proteins, allowing them to be degraded.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026
With Iran’s air defenses largely degraded, they can instead rely on weapons such as laser-guided bombs, helping ease pressure on stockpiles.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026
The only way to eradicate transformation was to digest the material with an enzyme that, of all things, degraded DNA.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
