degradation
/ˌdɛɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/
degradation means the act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society. It carries an Arena rating of 1390, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, degradation ranks #2,006 of 14,322 for Scariest Words, #2,678 of 14,410 for Most Ponderous Words, #3,220 of 14,308 for Most Malleable Words, #7,082 of 14,423 for Most Sublime Words.
degradation is pronounced /ˌdɛɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/.
Why “degradation” is a great word
The reduction in rank, dignity, quality, or value, a process of moral or physical deterioration. From French dégradation (14th century), from Late Latin dēgradātiōn-, stem of dēgradātiō, from dēgradātus, past participle of dēgradāre ("to degrade"), from Latin dē- ("down") + gradus ("step, rank"); first recorded in English 1525–35. Unlike "deterioration," which broadly charts a decline in condition, or "abasement," which captures a single, humiliating act, degradation implies a sustained, witnessed fall from a former height. It is the uniform stripped of its insignia, the river choked with chemical effluent, and the principle eroded into a cynical platitude—the irreversible step down that haunts every ascent, leaving the original height unimaginable.
Etymology
From French dégradation. Morphologically degrade + -ation.
noun
- The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society“This feature of good organization, the conferring of definite local superior rank, and the protection of the incumbent from unnecessary degradation, was discovered centuries ago by another effective institution, the Catholic church.”
- The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement.“There will be no poverty. All work will be done by living machines. Everybody will be free from worry and liberated from the degradation of labor. Everybody will live only to perfect himself.”
- Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration.“The extent of the damage to the military is still unclear and disputed, but the repeated bombings of the army and revolutionary guard bases and installations suggests substantial degradation of Iran's military power. Militarisation had long consumed a vast amount of the nation's resources.”
- A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc.“Overexploitation of land for fuelwood is a further cause of soil degradation in Africa, Asia and South America”
- A deleterious change in the chemical structure, physical properties or appearance of a material from natural or artificial exposure.
- The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration.
- Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole.“muscle degradation”
- The gradual breakdown of components of a material, as a result of a natural element, i.e.: heat, cold and wind.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- indignity 87% match — degradation, debasement or humiliation vs degradation →
- depravation 87% match — Detraction; depreciation. vs degradation →
- humiliate 87% match — To cause to be ashamed; to injure the dignity and self-respect of. vs degradation →
- denigration 87% match — The act of making black; a blackening or defamation. vs degradation →
- abase 87% match — To lower, as in condition in life, office, rank, etc., so as to cause pain or hurt feelings; to degrade, to depress, to humble, to humiliate. vs degradation →
- abasement 86% match — The act of abasing, humbling, or bringing low. vs degradation →
- derogation 86% match — An act which belittles; disparagement. vs degradation →
- dehumanization 86% match — The act or process of dehumanizing. vs degradation →