as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
demanded an apology for his demeaning comments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in degrading
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
it demeans the political process to demand that candidates make promises that everyone knows are unrealistic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in behaving
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of demeaning
Sean Williams, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025
For decades, Indigenous leaders and advocates across the state and country have been trying to convince school communities that the use of such mascots and logos are inappropriate, demeaning and harmful.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
And Max will not stop demeaning him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demeaning
Adjective
But parading around half-naked at competitions felt demeaning.
—Sean Williams, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025
For decades, Indigenous leaders and advocates across the state and country have been trying to convince school communities that the use of such mascots and logos are inappropriate, demeaning and harmful.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Like me, Tommy would have looked to the culture around him to learn the language of demeaning women.
—Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
And Max will not stop demeaning him.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demeaning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demeaning
Adjective
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Many researchers cite those exact words as insulting or wrong when asked about their own terminations.—
STAT Staff,
STAT,
29 Dec. 2025
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With two toddlers and a 10-hour workday for her husband, the advice was more insulting than helpful.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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For coastal communities, the result can crash fish stocks, threatening jobs in fishing and processing and degrading marine ecosystems, which makes coastal areas less attractive for tourism and recreation.—
Hossain Ahmed Taufiq,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2026
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As advertised, Episode 1 was wildly degrading for contestants and weirdly nostalgic for viewers.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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During the incident, the woman pushed him, shoved a shopping cart at him and made derogatory remarks, according to police.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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Reale joked that he’s been called plenty of derogatory names through the years by surfers in the water competing for waves.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Their faltering attempt at a total crackdown—which can’t muzzle the anger and bravery of ordinary people—and its general odor of malicious incompetence, is even seeping into the White House’s hermetic media echo chamber.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Just like the ClickFix attacks, this malicious trickery is all about running commands that almost all users would never think to do in normal circumstances.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Conservative pundit Meghan McCain blasted commentator Tucker Carlson after a guest on his podcast and online show this week made a disparaging remark about her weight.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
5 Dec. 2025
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Emily’s father didn’t say it in a disparaging way—more like That was just Ryan.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The federal agency was tasked with creating and enforcing rules to protect consumers from abusive practices across a range of financial institutions.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
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Back home, their physically abusive father stalks the shadowy hallways.—
Blake Simons,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, is a pejorative Venezuelan term for corrupt figures in the armed forces who take money from drug traffickers; the name is a reference to the sun insignia on their uniforms.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
26 Nov. 2025
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Wales Bonner also gave the shoe a suede high-top makeover, and AVAVAV turned it into a clown shoe in a non-pejorative sense.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
21 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Neither party admitted to liability and each agreed to refrain from making disparaging, negative or uncomplimentary statements about the other, the document said.—
Lorraine Mirabella,
Baltimore Sun,
29 July 2022
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Though the pollen gunk will pass, he's concerned by a contingent of Twitter trolls who've shared uncomplimentary reviews of his recent North American tour.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE.com,
21 Jan. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Demeaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demeaning. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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