# degrading

/dɪˈɡɹeɪdɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪɡɹˈeɪdɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/degrading
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. humiliating

adjective · CEFR B2

causing you to feel a loss of dignity or self-respect.

For teachers: causing a person to feel a loss of self-worth or social standing; often used to describe treatment or conditions that are dehumanising.

- The prisoners were kept in degrading conditions without enough food or clean water.
- The human rights report criticised the degrading treatment of refugees, arguing that such systemic humiliation violates international law.

Usage: Often used to describe conditions, treatment, or tasks that strip away a person's pride.

### 2. breaking down

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the process of something becoming worse or breaking into smaller parts.

For teachers: the act or process of degradation, particularly the chemical or physical breakdown of a substance.

- The degrading of the plastic in the ocean takes hundreds of years.
- The rapid degrading of the soil quality was attributed to intensive farming practices and the lack of crop rotation.

Usage: Commonly used as a gerund to describe environmental or chemical processes.

## Examples

- The prisoners were kept in degrading conditions.
- Many employees felt that the new security measures were degrading and showed a complete lack of trust.
- The report highlighted the degrading treatment of refugees at the border, arguing that such systemic humiliation violated basic international human rights standards.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.