debasing
adjective
de·bas·ing di-ˈbā-siŋ 
dē-
: causing a lowering of someone or something in status, esteem, quality, or character
… a publication littered with debasing comments about women …
Kate Kelly and David Enrich
Kate Kelly and David EnrichAnd certainly African-Americans, who have long observed the debasing effect of racism on whites, may know a moral refinement that an oppressor cannot. Emily Hiestand
Emily HiestandFeminists said the spiteful interactions that the shows sometimes encouraged were debasing to the contestants. Patrick Kingsley
Patrick Kingsley
Word History
First Known Use
1630, in the meaning defined above
debasing 1 of 3
adjective
1
as in degrading
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- degrading
- demeaning
- humiliating
- mortifying
- humbling
- unsettling
- unpleasant
- impossible
- disagreeable
- intolerable
- troublesome
- embarrassing
- difficult
- confusing
- inconvenient
- unwieldy
- disconcerting
- disturbing
- discomfiting
- uncomfortable
- flustering
- awkward
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- convenient
- comfortable
- agreeable
- pleasing
2
as in perverted
Synonyms & Similar Words
- perverted
- profane
- unbecoming
- indecorous
- obscene
- indecent
- prurient
- vulgar
- wicked
- naughty
- salacious
- racy
- immodest
- lewd
- filthy
- lascivious
- earthy
- ribald
- crude
- wanton
- gross
- lustful
- erotic
- bawdy
- unprintable
- smutty
- kinky
- salty
- suggestive
- foul
- dirty
- coarse
- pornographic
- sexy
- bedroom
- erotical
- adult
- nasty
- mature
- soft-core
- porny
- hard-core
- X-rated
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- clean
- puritanical
- prudish
- priggish
- decorous
- proper
- genteel
- polite
- seemly
- correct
- straightlaced
- prim
- G-rated
- straitlaced
- decent
- Victorian
debasing
2 of 3noun
as in debasement
Synonyms & Similar Words
- debasement
- humiliation
- degradation
- abasement
- humbling
- disapproval
- dust
- taint
- disapprobation
- contempt
- stigma
- scorn
- blot
- disdain
- slur
- deprecation
- stain
- brand
- disfavor
- despite
- smirch
- scandal
- discredit
- dishonor
- spot
- ignominy
- disrepute
- infamy
- odium
- disgrace
- shame
- shadow
- reproach
- opprobrium
- disesteem
- obloquy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- respect
- esteem
- honor
- regard
- appreciation
- estimation
- admiration
- fear
- reverence
- glory
- fame
- awe
- repute
- renown
debasing
3 of 3verb
1
as in humiliating
to lower in character, dignity, or quality we debase ourselves when we adopt the moral code and behavior of our despised enemies Synonyms & Similar Words
- degrading
- humiliating
- debauching
- corrupting
- subverting
- demeaning
- weakening
- diluting
- depraving
- deteriorating
- damaging
- perverting
- destroying
- cheapening
- disgracing
- prostituting
- poisoning
- abasing
- bastardizing
- polluting
- demoralizing
- ruining
- shaming
- vitiating
- profaning
- lessening
- tainting
- marring
- contaminating
- warping
- impairing
- cankering
- defiling
- humbling
- dishonoring
- harming
- wrecking
- dirtying
- tarnishing
- hurting
- thinning
- defacing
- watering down
- spoiling
- befouling
- depreciating
- staining
- descending
- downgrading
- begriming
- blemishing
- flawing
- taking down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- elevating
- exalting
- improving
- uplifting
- ennobling
- honoring
- enhancing
- enriching
- dignifying
- amending
- ameliorating
- respecting
- perfecting
- restoring
- purifying
- refining
- clarifying
- cleaning
- cleansing
- bettering
- meliorating
2
as in discrediting
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes our failure to win a single game completely debased us Synonyms & Similar Words
- humiliating
- discrediting
- degrading
- demeaning
- disgracing
- shaming
- embarrassing
- cheapening
- insulting
- dishonoring
- abasing
- humbling
- confusing
- lowering
- rattling
- ridiculing
- criticizing
- diminishing
- chastening
- fouling
- belittling
- mortifying
- sinking
- disparaging
- minimizing
- taking down
- depreciating
- detracting
- smirching
- discounting
- maligning
- defiling
- condemning
- flustering
- defaming
- slandering
- disconcerting
- decrying
- castigating
- discountenancing
- discomfiting
- affronting
- confounding
- denouncing
- libeling
- execrating
- censuring
- fazing
- abashing
- nonplussing
- damning
- libelling
- writing off
- reprobating
- crying down
- nonplusing
- bad-mouthing
- reprehending
- putting down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- exalting
- elevating
- deifying
- aggrandizing
- praising
- recognizing
- citing
- honoring
- acknowledging
- commending
- celebrating
- complimenting
- canonizing
- lauding
- boasting
- applauding
- congratulating
- saluting
- hailing
- eulogizing
- acclaiming
- decorating
- touting
- cheering
- highlighting
- promoting
- ennobling
- dignifying
- glorifying
- extolling
- enshrining
- feting
- advancing
- spotlighting
- magnifying
- raising
- lifting
- enthroning
- uplifting
- boosting
- upgrading
- fêting
- idealizing
- romanticizing
- playing up
- enskying