Degrade vs. Deteriorate — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Degrade and Deteriorate
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Compare with Definitions
Degrade
To lower in quality or value; make inferior or less valuable
Land that was degraded by overgrazing.
A virus that degrades the computer's performance.
Deteriorate
Become progressively worse
Relations between the countries had deteriorated sharply
Degrade
To lower in dignity; dishonor or disgrace
Seemed to feel that he was degrading himself in accepting the invitation.
Deteriorate
To diminish or impair in quality, character, or value
Time and neglect had deteriorated the property.
Degrade
To reduce in grade, rank, or status; demote.
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Deteriorate
To grow worse; degenerate
The weather deteriorated overnight.
Degrade
(Geology) To lower or wear away by erosion or weathering.
Deteriorate
To weaken or disintegrate; decay
The nation's highways are deteriorating at a rapid pace.
Degrade
To cause (an organic compound) to undergo degradation.
Deteriorate
(transitive) To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.
To deteriorate the mind
Degrade
To fall to a lower rank or status.
Deteriorate
(intransitive) To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.
Degrade
To undergo degradation; decompose
A chemical that degrades rapidly.
Deteriorate
To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair; as, to deteriorate the mind.
The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated.
Degrade
(transitive) To lower in value or social position.
Fred degrades himself by his behaviour.
Deteriorate
To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.
Under such conditions, the mind rapidly deteriorates.
Degrade
To reduce in quality or purity.
The DNA sample has degraded.
Deteriorate
Become worse or disintegrate;
His mind deteriorated
Degrade
To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.
Deteriorate
Grow worse;
Her condition deteriorated
Conditions in the slums degenerated
The discussion devolved into a shouting match
Degrade
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.
Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be degraded from the bar.
Degrade
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.
O miserable mankind, to what fallDegraded, to what wretched state reserved!
Yet time ennobles or degrades each line.
Her pride . . . struggled hard against this degrading passion.
Degrade
To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.
Degrade
To degenerate; to pass from a higher to a lower type of structure; as, a family of plants or animals degrades through this or that genus or group of genera.
Degrade
Reduce the level of land, as by erosion
Degrade
Reduce in worth or character, usually verbally;
She tends to put down younger women colleagues
His critics took him down after the lecture
Degrade
Lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
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