v.贬低；v.退化,
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
degrade (verb)transitive verb
1.
a) to lower in grade, rank, or status - demote
b) to strip of rank or honors
c) to lower to an inferior or less effective level - degrade the image quality
d) to scale down in desirability or salability
2.
a) to bring to low esteem or into disrepute - his actions have degraded his profession
b) to drag down in moral or intellectual character - corrupt
3.
to impair in respect to some physical property - material degraded by exposure to sunlight
4.
to wear down by erosion
5.
intransitive verb
to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) - decompose
1.
to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower
2.
of a chemical compound to become reduced in complexity
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
degrade (verb)1.
to bring to a lower grade or rank
SYNONYMS:
break, bust, degrade, disrate, downgrade, reduceRELATED WORDS:
can, cashier, dismiss, downsize, fire, lay off, sack; abase, debase, demean, humble, humiliate, lowerNEAR ANTONYMS:
hire2.
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
SYNONYMS:
abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warpRELATED WORDS:
befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken; descend; disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down; blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck; depreciate, downgradeNEAR ANTONYMS:
dignify, exalt, honor; ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect; clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore; respect3.
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
SYNONYMS:
abase, chasten, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, foul, humiliate, lower, shame, sink, smirch, take downRELATED WORDS:
abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle; belittle, castigate, criticize, cry down, decry, depreciate, detract, diminish, discount, disparage, minimize, put down, ridicule, write off; bad-mouth, defame, defile, libel, malign, slander; affront, insult; censure, condemn, damn, denounce, execrate, reprehend, reprobateNEAR ANTONYMS:
acclaim, applaud, boast, celebrate, cheer, cite, commend, compliment, congratulate, decorate, eulogize, extol ( extoll), fete ( fête), hail, honor, laud, praise, salute, tout; acknowledge, recognize; highlight, play up, spotlight; dignify, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnify; advance, boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift; idealize, romanticize