Degrading

degrading
    adj 1: harmful to the mind or morals; "corrupt judges and their
           corrupting influence"; "the vicious and degrading cult of
           violence" [syn: {corrupting}, {degrading}]
    2: used of conduct; characterized by dishonor [syn: {debasing},
       {degrading}]
    

Degrade \De*grade"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Degraded}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Degrading}.] [F. d['e]grader, LL. degradare, fr. L.
   de- + gradus step, degree. See {Grade}, and cf. {Degree}.]
   1. To reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree; to
      lower in rank; to deprive of office or dignity; to strip
      of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman, or a general
      officer.
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            Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be
            degraded from the bar.                --Palfrey.
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   2. To reduce in estimation, character, or reputation; to
      lessen the value of; to lower the physical, moral, or
      intellectual character of; to debase; to bring shame or
      contempt upon; to disgrace; as, vice degrades a man.
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            O miserable mankind, to what fall
            Degraded, to what wretched state reserved! --Milton.
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            Yet time ennobles or degrades each line. --Pope.
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            Her pride . . . struggled hard against this
            degrading passion.                    --Macaulay.
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   3. (Geol.) To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and
      mountains; to wear down.

   Syn: To abase; demean; lower; reduce. See {Abase}.
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degrading \de*grad"ing\, a.
   causing humiliation or degradation; as, a degrading
   surrender.
   [PJC]
    

52 Moby Thesaurus words for "degrading":
      abasement, abusive, atrocious, backhand, backhanded, beneath one,
      bump, bust, calumnious, casting down, cheap, contumelious,
      debasement, debasing, degradation, demeaning, demotion, deplorable,
      depluming, discreditable, disgraceful, disgrading, displuming,
      downgrading, gutter, humbling, humiliating, humiliative, infra dig,
      infra indignitatem, insolent, insulting, left-handed, lowering,
      offensive, opprobrious, outrageous, pitiful, reduction, sad,
      scandalous, scurrile, scurrilous, shameful, shaming, shocking,
      sorry, stripping of rank, too bad, unbecoming, unspeakable,
      unworthy of one