de·grade 
/dɪˈgreɪd/ verb
de·grades; de·grad·ed; de·grad·ing /dɪˈgreɪd/ verb 1 [+ obj] : to treat (someone or something) poorly and without respect
▪ The group accuses the company of degrading women in its ads. ▪ I am not going to degrade [=lower] myself by responding to these baseless accusations. ▪ He felt degraded by their remarks. 2 [+ obj] : to make the quality of (something) worse
▪ Scratches on a camera lens will degrade the image. ▪ Pollution has degraded air quality. 3 technical : to cause (something complex) to break down into simple substances or parts [+ obj] ▪ enzymes that degrade proteins [no obj] ▪ plastics that don't degrade [=decompose] easily
▪ The group accuses the company of degrading women in its ads. ▪ I am not going to degrade [=lower] myself by responding to these baseless accusations. ▪ He felt degraded by their remarks.
▪ Scratches on a camera lens will degrade the image. ▪ Pollution has degraded air quality.
— degrading adjective [more degrading; most degrading]
▪ a degrading job ▪ He made a degrading remark about my weight.
▪ a degrading job ▪ He made a degrading remark about my weight.
