demean

1 of 2

verb (1)

de·mean di-ˈmēn How to pronounce demean (audio)

demeaned; demeaning

transitive verb

: to lower in character, status, or reputation

careful not to demean his opponent

demeaning the seriousness of the problem

demean

2 of 2

verb (2)

demeaned; demeaning

transitive verb

: to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner

… he might have been observed to demean himself as a person with nothing to do …

Henry James †1916

Did you know?

There are two words spelled demean in English. The more familiar demean—"to lower in character, status, or reputation"—comes straight from mean, the adjective that means "spiteful." The other demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener ("to conduct"), which in turn comes from Latin minare, meaning "to drive." This verb has been with us since the 14th century and is generally used in contexts (especially formal ones) specifying a type of behavior: "he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner"; "she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life"; "they knew not how to demean themselves in the king's presence." As you may have already guessed, the noun demeanor, meaning "behavior," comes from this demean.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

de- + mean entry 2, probably after debase

Verb (2)

Middle English demenen, demeynen "to rule, control, decide, arrange, keep within bounds, moderate, behave (in a certain way), conduct (oneself)," borrowed from Anglo-French demein-, tonic stem of demener "to lead, guide, carry on, subject to, treat, agitate," (intransitive) "to strive, thrash about," (reflexive) "to behave" (also continental Old & Middle French), from de- de- + mener "to lead, bring," going back to Latin mināre "to push, impel (an animal forward)," active form of the deponent verb minārī "to threaten" — more at minatory

Note: The verb mināre "to impel, drive (an animal)" is marginally attested in later classical Latin but more fully in Late Latin; in the Vulgate the object can also be human or inanimate. In early medieval Latin the notion "drive" shifted to "lead," a sense continued by Romance descendants of mināre (as French mener, Upper Engadine Romansh mner, Italian menare, Occitan & Catalan menar). The Old French prefixed derivative demener displays a wide array of meanings, which in part were passed through Anglo-French to Middle English demenen. The verbs in the modern languages—French démener, English demean—retain few of these meanings.

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1601, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

demeaned 1 of 2

verb (1)

past tense of demean

as in degraded

to lower in character, dignity, or quality it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

degraded
humiliated
corrupted
debased
deteriorated
weakened
subverted
perverted
poisoned
diluted
disgraced
destroyed
cheapened
shamed
debauched
damaged
bastardized
abased
depraved
prostituted
ruined
demoralized
profaned
cankered
polluted
warped
vitiated
humbled
marred
lessened
tainted
hurt
contaminated
dishonored
harmed
dirtied
impaired
defiled
thinned
begrimed
wrecked
spoiled
tarnished
befouled
stained
flawed
watered down
defaced
blemished
depreciated
spoilt
descended
downgraded
took down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

uplifted
honored
ennobled
elevated
exalted
improved
dignified
enriched
enhanced
amended
respected
ameliorated
refined
bettered
cleaned
perfected
restored
purified
clarified
cleansed
meliorated

as in humiliated

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work

Synonyms & Similar Words

humiliated
discredited
shamed
degraded
embarrassed
insulted
disgraced
humbled
dishonored
debased
confused
cheapened
criticized
abased
ridiculed
rattled
chastened
smirched
belittled
diminished
disparaged
lowered
fouled
slandered
mortified
maligned
flustered
minimized
defamed
took down
sunk
condemned
nonplussed
discomfited
decried
disconcerted
discounted
abashed
libeled
discountenanced
detracted
sank
confounded
castigated
affronted
depreciated
fazed
defiled
denounced
nonplused
bad-mouthed
censured
execrated
libelled
wrote off
reprehended
damned
reprobated
cried down
put down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exalted
elevated
praised
recognized
deified
honored
applauded
acknowledged
complimented
cheered
celebrated
lauded
commended
cited
saluted
congratulated
extolled
boasted
feted
decorated
eulogized
canonized
hailed
aggrandized
acclaimed
touted
ennobled
highlighted
promoted
glorified
magnified
fêted
spotlighted
dignified
uplifted
enshrined
lifted
idealized
raised
upgraded
enthroned
boosted
advanced
romanticized
spotlit
played up
enskied

demeaned

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of demean

as in behaved

to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit

Synonyms & Similar Words

behaved
acquitted
restrained
carried
handled
conducted
composed
deported
comported
contained
repressed
inhibited
constrained
quitted
bore
controlled
quieted
collected
curbed
modulated
checked
moderated
quit
tempered
acted
played
impersonated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

misbehaved
misconducted
cut up
acted up
carried on

单词	demeaned
释义	demean 1 of 2 verb (1) de·mean di-ˈmēn demeaned; demeaning transitive verb : to lower in character, status, or reputation careful not to demean his opponent demeaning the seriousness of the problem demean 2 of 2 verb (2) demeaned; demeaning transitive verb : to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner … he might have been observed to demean himself as a person with nothing to do … Henry James †1916 Did you know? There are two words spelled demean in English. The more familiar demean—"to lower in character, status, or reputation"—comes straight from mean, the adjective that means "spiteful." The other demean comes from the Anglo-French verb demener ("to conduct"), which in turn comes from Latin minare, meaning "to drive." This verb has been with us since the 14th century and is generally used in contexts (especially formal ones) specifying a type of behavior: "he demeaned himself in a most unfriendly manner"; "she demeaned herself as befitting her station in life"; "they knew not how to demean themselves in the king's presence." As you may have already guessed, the noun demeanor, meaning "behavior," comes from this demean. Synonyms Verb (1) abase bastardize canker cheapen corrupt debase debauch degrade demoralize deprave deteriorate lessen pervert poison profane prostitute subvert vitiate warp Verb (2) acquit bear behave carry comport conduct deport quit See all Synonyms & Antonyms Word History Etymology Verb (1) de- + mean entry 2, probably after debase Verb (2) Middle English demenen, demeynen "to rule, control, decide, arrange, keep within bounds, moderate, behave (in a certain way), conduct (oneself)," borrowed from Anglo-French demein-, tonic stem of demener "to lead, guide, carry on, subject to, treat, agitate," (intransitive) "to strive, thrash about," (reflexive) "to behave" (also continental Old & Middle French), from de- de- + mener "to lead, bring," going back to Latin mināre "to push, impel (an animal forward)," active form of the deponent verb minārī "to threaten" — more at minatory Note: The verb mināre "to impel, drive (an animal)" is marginally attested in later classical Latin but more fully in Late Latin; in the Vulgate the object can also be human or inanimate. In early medieval Latin the notion "drive" shifted to "lead," a sense continued by Romance descendants of mināre (as French mener, Upper Engadine Romansh mner, Italian menare, Occitan & Catalan menar). The Old French prefixed derivative demener displays a wide array of meanings, which in part were passed through Anglo-French to Middle English demenen. The verbs in the modern languages—French démener, English demean—retain few of these meanings. First Known Use Verb (1) 1601, in the meaning defined above Verb (2) 14th century, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition demean 1 of 2 verb de·mean di-ˈmēn demeaned; demeaning : behave sense 2 He demeaned himself like a gentleman. demean 2 of 2 verb demeaned; demeaning : to lower in character or dignity She feels that such work demeans her. demeaned 1 of 2 verb (1) past tense of demean 1 as in degraded to lower in character, dignity, or quality it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance degraded humiliated corrupted debased deteriorated weakened subverted perverted poisoned diluted disgraced destroyed cheapened shamed debauched damaged bastardized abased depraved prostituted ruined demoralized profaned cankered polluted warped vitiated humbled marred lessened tainted hurt contaminated dishonored harmed dirtied impaired defiled thinned begrimed wrecked spoiled tarnished befouled stained flawed watered down defaced blemished depreciated spoilt descended downgraded took down Antonyms & Near Antonyms uplifted honored ennobled elevated exalted improved dignified enriched enhanced amended respected ameliorated refined bettered cleaned perfected restored purified clarified cleansed meliorated See More 2 as in humiliated to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work Synonyms & Similar Words humiliated discredited shamed degraded embarrassed insulted disgraced humbled dishonored debased confused cheapened criticized abased ridiculed rattled chastened smirched belittled diminished disparaged lowered fouled slandered mortified maligned flustered minimized defamed took down sunk condemned nonplussed discomfited decried disconcerted discounted abashed libeled discountenanced detracted sank confounded castigated affronted depreciated fazed defiled denounced nonplused bad-mouthed censured execrated libelled wrote off reprehended damned reprobated cried down put down Antonyms & Near Antonyms exalted elevated praised recognized deified honored applauded acknowledged complimented cheered celebrated lauded commended cited saluted congratulated extolled boasted feted decorated eulogized canonized hailed aggrandized acclaimed touted ennobled highlighted promoted glorified magnified fêted spotlighted dignified uplifted enshrined lifted idealized raised upgraded enthroned boosted advanced romanticized spotlit played up enskied See More demeaned 2 of 2 verb (2) past tense of demean as in behaved to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit Synonyms & Similar Words behaved acquitted restrained carried handled conducted composed deported comported contained repressed inhibited constrained quitted bore controlled quieted collected curbed modulated checked moderated quit tempered acted played impersonated Antonyms & Near Antonyms misbehaved misconducted cut up acted up carried on
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demean

verb (1)

verb (2)

Did you know?

Synonyms

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

verb (1)

verb (2)