degraded

adjective

de·​grad·​ed di-ˈgrā-dəd How to pronounce degraded (audio)
dē-
Synonyms of degradednext
1
: reduced far below ordinary standards of civilized life and conduct
2
: characterized by degeneration of structure or function
degradedly adverb

Examples of degraded in a Sentence

many observers deplored the fact that the city's festivities for Mardi Gras had become a degraded, drunken celebration
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Old potting soil may not only potentially harbor pests and diseases that will impact the health of your plants, but soil from previous seasons can become a bit degraded and drain too fast or too slowly for your plant's needs. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026 Faster delivery with degraded quality just accelerates technical debt and erodes user trust. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Her days are spent growing coral fragments in nurseries, cleaning restoration structures, managing coral predators and transplanting coral onto degraded reefs. Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study. Siddhant Pusdekar, Quanta Magazine, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for degraded

Word History

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of degraded was in 1643

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Degraded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degraded. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on degraded

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster