debases

Verb

debase (third-person singular simple present debases, present participle debasing, simple past and past participle debased)

1. (transitive) To lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade.
   • And just as history will decide whether the leaders of today's world employed the atom to destroy the world or rebuild it for mankind's benefit, so will history decide whether today's broadcasters employed their powerful voice to enrich the people or to debase them.1961 May 9, Newton N. Minow, Television and the Public Interest

   Synonyms:

   abase, adulterate, degrade, demean, debauch

2. (archaic, transitive) To lower in position or rank.

   Synonyms:

   cut down to size, demote, humble, abase, bring down to size, defame, degrade, demean, depress, discredit

3. (transitive) To lower the value of (a currency) by reducing the amount of valuable metal in the coins.

   Synonyms:

   adulter, alloy, embase, abase, adulterate, adulterize, balderdash, corrupt, bastardize, dash