degrading
adjective
de·grad·ing di-ˈgrā-diŋ 
dē-
: causing or associated with a low, destitute, or demoralized state : causing someone to be or feel degraded
a degrading experience
… a work about a young man full of bottled rage looking for a degrading job …
Penelope Gilliatt
Penelope Gilliatt… any cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of detainees was absolutely forbidden … David Cole
David Cole degradingly
di-ˈgrā-diŋ-lē
adverb dē-
"I hate to be poor, and we are degradingly poor, offensively poor, miserably poor, beastly poor." Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens When employees are treated degradingly by their manager, they respond with decreased motivation, commitment, loyalty, and productivity. Ken Lloyd
Ken Lloyd 
Synonyms
- belittling
- contemptuous
- decrying
- demeaning
- denigrative
- denigratory
- deprecatory
- depreciative
- depreciatory
- derisory
- derogative
- derogatory
- detractive
- disdainful
- disparaging
- pejorative
- scornful
- slighting
- uncomplimentary
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1540, in the meaning defined above
degrading 1 of 2
adjective
as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value made degrading comments about his so-called friend behind his back Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- slighting
- insulting
- demeaning
- disparaging
- derogatory
- abusive
- belittling
- malicious
- uncomplimentary
- denigratory
- decrying
- derogative
- critical
- contemptuous
- pejorative
- detractive
- depreciative
- depreciatory
- deprecatory
- disdainful
- derisory
- scornful
- venomous
- hateful
- libelous
- nasty
- denigrative
- cruel
- maligning
- slandering
- vilifying
- slanderous
- defamatory
- unkind
- malign
- spiteful
- scurrilous
- calumnious
- opprobrious
- aspersing
- libellous
- malignant
- virulent
- despiteful
- malevolent
- caustic
- mean
- denunciatory
- catty
- scathing
- jealous
- bitter
- envious
- acrid
- resentful
- acrimonious
- rancorous
- denunciative
- jaundiced
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- positive
- laudatory
- complimentary
- approving
- admiring
- commendatory
- friendly
- respectful
- kind
- adulatory
- appreciative
- applauding
- laudative
- sympathetic
- warm
- kindly
- unmalicious
- kindhearted
- warmhearted
degrading
2 of 2verb
1
as in reducing
to bring to a lower grade or rank the view that such a system degrades doctors to the status of medical employees who ultimately are not in charge of their patients' health care Synonyms & Similar Words
- reducing
- demoting
- downgrading
- dismissing
- busting
- demeaning
- humiliating
- sacking
- debasing
- disrating
- breaking
- firing
- downsizing
- lowering
- laying off
- humbling
- canning
- abasing
- cashiering
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- promoting
- advancing
- raising
- elevating
- hiring
2
as in humiliating
to lower in character, dignity, or quality degrading the school's animal mascot with a silly costume Synonyms & Similar Words
- humiliating
- demeaning
- deteriorating
- damaging
- corrupting
- debasing
- weakening
- subverting
- debauching
- diluting
- destroying
- depraving
- poisoning
- disgracing
- polluting
- demoralizing
- ruining
- perverting
- cheapening
- abasing
- bastardizing
- contaminating
- shaming
- lessening
- prostituting
- impairing
- marring
- warping
- vitiating
- tainting
- cankering
- profaning
- harming
- humbling
- wrecking
- dishonoring
- thinning
- defiling
- dirtying
- hurting
- tarnishing
- spoiling
- watering down
- staining
- befouling
- defacing
- depreciating
- downgrading
- flawing
- descending
- begriming
- blemishing
- taking down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- improving
- elevating
- uplifting
- enhancing
- exalting
- enriching
- ennobling
- dignifying
- honoring
- ameliorating
- purifying
- amending
- cleaning
- restoring
- respecting
- refining
- perfecting
- cleansing
- clarifying
- meliorating
- bettering
3
as in discrediting
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes the players degraded themselves with their crude antics off the field Synonyms & Similar Words
- humiliating
- discrediting
- demeaning
- embarrassing
- insulting
- debasing
- disgracing
- shaming
- dishonoring
- humbling
- confusing
- cheapening
- abasing
- lowering
- fouling
- rattling
- diminishing
- criticizing
- ridiculing
- chastening
- disparaging
- mortifying
- taking down
- belittling
- minimizing
- sinking
- disconcerting
- smirching
- detracting
- flustering
- depreciating
- maligning
- defaming
- discounting
- discomfiting
- defiling
- slandering
- condemning
- decrying
- discountenancing
- affronting
- confounding
- castigating
- libeling
- denouncing
- abashing
- fazing
- nonplussing
- damning
- execrating
- writing off
- crying down
- censuring
- nonplusing
- libelling
- bad-mouthing
- putting down
- reprobating
- reprehending
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- elevating
- exalting
- praising
- aggrandizing
- complimenting
- honoring
- citing
- deifying
- recognizing
- commending
- boasting
- lauding
- celebrating
- acknowledging
- applauding
- saluting
- hailing
- canonizing
- eulogizing
- congratulating
- decorating
- touting
- cheering
- acclaiming
- highlighting
- promoting
- dignifying
- glorifying
- ennobling
- advancing
- extolling
- upgrading
- uplifting
- lifting
- boosting
- enshrining
- magnifying
- raising
- spotlighting
- fêting
- feting
- enthroning
- idealizing
- romanticizing
- playing up
- enskying