1
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic
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2
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
his statement was not meant to demean the group's hard work
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as in to behave
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way
I shall endeavor to demean myself with utmost respect when our pastor comes to visit
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demean
Ariel Fisher, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Every sports league is better with a bad guy, and Reese subtly demeaning Clark is a brilliant marketing ploy.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2025
The Ramirez cartoon demeans these hardworking Americans whose earnings leave them unable to afford private health insurance and perpetuates the fiction that Medicaid recipients are freeloaders.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Cruelty Is Mistaken For Emotional Depth In emotionally intense relationships, demeaning behavior is often reframed as emotional honesty.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for demean
Verb
But even here on Roebling Street, the actor, who stands 6-foot-2, with shoulders that would not demean a musk ox, was not exactly small.
—Ariel Fisher, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Every sports league is better with a bad guy, and Reese subtly demeaning Clark is a brilliant marketing ploy.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2025
The Ramirez cartoon demeans these hardworking Americans whose earnings leave them unable to afford private health insurance and perpetuates the fiction that Medicaid recipients are freeloaders.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Cruelty Is Mistaken For Emotional Depth In emotionally intense relationships, demeaning behavior is often reframed as emotional honesty.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for demean
Cite this Entry
“Demean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demean. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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