1
as in degrades
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliates
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 behaves
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
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Recent Examples of demeans
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
That’s another lazy phrase that demeans the dynamic of sport.
—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Most frustratingly, the secret traitor demeans us, the audience.
—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
That’s another lazy phrase that demeans the dynamic of sport.
—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demeans
Verb
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Those with respiratory problems and sensitive groups could experience issues as our air quality degrades a bit with the dust lingering overhead.
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Trump, on the other hand, belittles and degrades people every day.
Verb
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Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.
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Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.
Verb
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Imagine infrastructure that behaves less like static software and more like adaptive biological defense.
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Lighting, room size, and function all play a role in how color behaves.
Verb
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When the dollar weakens, commodity prices expressed in dollars tend to rise to maintain purchasing power parity for buyers operating in other currencies.
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But the corresponding upheaval is still catastrophic for any surrounding planets, which either get swallowed up by the expanding star, or drift into wider orbits as the star’s gravity weakens—some are flung out from the system entirely.
Verb
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The praiseworthyness of having both sides of the debate evaporates when the host actively discredits the expert and reflexively enhances the legitimacy of the conspiracy theorist.
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.
Verb
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But Kimball House’s award-winning bar program more than carries its own weight.
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Tianwen-2 carries both a touch-and-go sampling system and an anchor-and-attach mechanism equipped with drills for collecting surface material.
Verb
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Forgetting his bond with the land, Mariano awakens the Ch’iqmi, a dark force that corrupts his people.
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One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.
Verb
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In the proud lineage of pint-sized blonde women who’ve held their own against Madonna, Carpenter acquits herself quite well.
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To fit all listening scenarios, like all DALI loudspeakers, KUPID also acquits itself at low and high volumes.
Cite this Entry
“Demeans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demeans. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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