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Degrade vs. Deteriorate — What's the Difference?

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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