degradation

/ˈdɛgrəˌdeɪʃən/

/dɛgrəˈdeɪʃən/

Other forms: degradations

Degradation is the act of lowering something or someone to a less respected state. A president resigning from office is a degradation. It’s also a downcast state. Once the president has resigned, he might feel degradation.

The noun degradation is related to the verb degrade, which comes from the Latin degradare. Degradare comes from de-, meaning “down,” and gradus, meaning "step." You can think of a degradation as a step down, or feeling as though you’re a step below.

Definitions of degradation

1. noun

   changing to a lower state (a less respected state)
   synonyms: debasement

   types:

   dehumanisation, dehumanization

   the act of degrading people with respect to their best qualities

   animalisation, animalization, brutalisation, brutalization

   an act that makes people cruel or lacking normal human qualities

   barbarisation, barbarization

   an act that makes people primitive and uncivilized

   bastardisation, bastardization

   an act that debases or corrupts

   corruption, subversion

   destroying someone's (or some group's) honesty or loyalty; undermining moral integrity

   demoralisation, demoralization

   destroying the moral basis for a doctrine or policy

   constipation, deadening, impairment, stultification

   the act of making something futile and useless (as by routine)

   popularisation, popularization, vulgarisation, vulgarization

   the act of making something attractive to the general public

   profanation

   degradation of something worthy of respect; cheapening

   abasement, humiliation

   depriving one of self-esteem

   vulgarisation, vulgarization

   the act of rendering something coarse and unrefined

   comedown

   decline to a lower status or level

   type of:

   change of state

   the act of changing something into something different in essential characteristics
2. noun

   a low or downcast state
   synonyms: abasement, abjection

   types:

   decadence, decadency, degeneracy, degeneration

   the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities

   depth

   (usually plural) a low moral state

   type of:

   humiliation

   state of disgrace or loss of self-respect