Degradate vs. Degrade: The Correct Spellings

Degradate is not the correct spelling; the proper term is degrade. The word degrade conveys the idea of diminishing or reducing in quality, value, or degree. This word, in contrast to the incorrect degradate, has various applications in contexts such as social, environmental, and scientific discussions.

Different forms of the word degrade include degrades, degraded, and degrading. To remember the correct spelling of degrade, consider focusing on the root word “grade,” indicative of a level or standard of quality, and remember the “de-” prefix indicating a downward action or reduction.

To spell degrade correctly, remember the root word “grade,” with the prefix “de-” implying a downward or reversing action. The incorrect term, degradate, likely results from a misunderstanding or misspelling of the proper term degrade. The history of the word degrade traces back to the Latin word “degradare,” meaning to reduce to a lower rank, specifically due to the combination of “de-,” signifying down, and “gradus,” meaning step or grade.

Incorrect: The harsh comments were meant to degradate her spirit.

Correct: The harsh comments were meant to degrade her spirit.

Incorrect: The chemicals in the landfill can degradate the environment.

Correct: The chemicals in the landfill can degrade the environment.

Incorrect: Sunlight can cause the fabric to degradate over time.

Correct: Sunlight can cause the fabric to degrade over time.

Incorrect: The company's reputation began to degradate after the scandal.

Correct: The company's reputation began to degrade after the scandal.

Degrade means to lower in rank or dignity; demote.

Degrade can mean to reduce in quality or value; adulterate.

Degrade refers to the act of breaking down a compound into simpler compounds or its basic elements.

Degrade can imply the lowering of character or morality.

Degrade is used to describe the diminishing of landform or landscape due to erosion or weathering.

To lower in quality or value; make inferior or less valuable

To lower in dignity; dishonor or disgrace

To reduce in grade, rank, or status; demote.

(Geology) To lower or wear away by erosion or weathering.

To cause (an organic compound) to undergo degradation.

To fall to a lower rank or status.

To undergo degradation; decompose

(transitive) To lower in value or social position.

To reduce in quality or purity.

To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.

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.

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.

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.

reduce the level of land, as by erosion

reduce in worth or character, usually verbally;

lower the grade of something; reduce its worth

Plastic can take centuries to degrade in the environment.

Harsh detergents can degrade the quality of your clothes.

Acid rain can degrade marble and limestone buildings.

UV radiation can cause materials to degrade more rapidly.

He refused to degrade himself by lying to the court.

Improper disposal of waste can degrade natural water sources.

Chemical pollutants are known to degrade air quality.

Her willingness to degrade others for personal gain was disappointing.

Overgrazing can degrade the quality of soil in agricultural areas.

Repeated freezing and thawing can degrade the structure of the road.

The enzyme helps to degrade complex molecules during digestion.

To lower oneself morally or in one's own esteem.

To reduce someone's sense of self-worth or honor.

To diminish the worth or usefulness of something.

To cause something, such as a machine or system, to operate less effectively.

To cause damage or harm to the natural world.

To deteriorate or become worse as time passes.

To deteriorate into a state of disorder or confusion.

To cause something to become inferior in quality.

To become worse in quality or condition, often gradually.

To diminish to the point of being unimportant or irrelevant.

To perform worse or break down when facing stress or difficulty.

To belittle or diminish the value of someone's work or achievements.

To exhaust or diminish the natural wealth of an area.

To lower one's moral standing by engaging in a particular action.

To harm or lower someone's good name or standing in the community.

To worsen the quality or condition of the social or cultural environment.

To weaken the wholeness, soundness, or completeness of something.

To become so diminished in function or condition as to be no longer useful.

To deteriorate until reaching a specific negative state.

To become inferior in quality over time or due to certain conditions.

Synonyms for degrade include demean, debase, diminish, and belittle, each implying a reduction or lowering in some form.

Yes, degrading is the adjective form of degrade, used to describe something that reduces dignity, value, or moral character.

Degrade is versatile and can refer to reductions in quality, value, rank, morality, or structural integrity, depending on the context.

Yes, degrade can refer to the lowering or diminishing of the quality, purity, or effectiveness of a substance.

In environmental discussions, degrade often describes the detrimental impact of human activities or natural processes on ecosystems, landforms, or resources.

To remember the spelling of degrade, focus on the root word “grade,” indicative of a level or standard of quality, with the “de-” prefix signifying a downward action or reduction.

The word degrade originated from the Latin word “degradare,” composed of “de-,” meaning down, and “gradus,” meaning step or grade, signifying a lowering or reduction.

Degradate is not a legitimate variant; the correct spelling is degrade.

Yes, in scientific contexts, degrade often refers to the breakdown of compounds into simpler substances or elements.

The noun form of degrade is degradation, referring to the process or result of degrading or being degraded.