demeaned 1 of 2

verb (1)

past tense of demean
1
as in degraded
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 humiliated
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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demeaned

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of demean
as in behaved
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of demeaned
Verb
Others have even demeaned the credibility of his creative achievements and professional accolades, attributing such success as a mere byproduct of his proximity and relationship to Hov. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 28 July 2026 Because he was being completely bullied and demeaned and excused. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026 Racists dismissed them as lesser beings, demeaned them and made life hard for all people of color — whites-only facilities and hard jobs. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026 The shrine is Canton is demeaned and the Class of ‘26 stained. — Greg Cote february 1, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026 For one thing, Lucy can’t even get off anymore without being actively demeaned. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026 They were being demeaned for that, or devalued for that in this critical time. — Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025 Beyond wait time fees, the DOJ complaint also details instances where Uber drivers allegedly refused service to passengers with service animals, canceled rides after learning a passenger was blind, or demeaned riders with disabilities. — Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 Stern also has talked about the value of therapy, come to the middle-aged realization his younger self demeaned women and appeared on Anderson Cooper, all of which seem like signs of just basic human growth or existence. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demeaned
  1. degraded
  2. humiliated
  3. behaved
  4. corrupted
  5. discredited
  6. acquitted
  7. deteriorated
  8. restrained
Verb
  • With so few ancient samples of dodo DNA surviving—and that which does exist having degraded over the centuries—the analytic and number-crunching power of AI is just what’s needed to fill in the genetic blanks.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Russia’s constant attacks on factories, energy supply systems and the railways means that steel supply to the Ukrainian armed forces is also being degraded.
    — Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of degraded
Verb
  • However, Rob Shuter is reporting that Meghan believes Kate purposefully humiliated her by recently taking Princess Charlotte on the London Underground.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 Oct. 2026
  • His daughter is humiliated, and the message could not be clearer.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of humiliated
Verb
  • The vegetables’ changing moisture, texture and shape also meant no two instruments behaved exactly alike.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The company has since disclosed several additional incidents where its models behaved in unintended ways, prompting industry researchers and government officials to call for additional oversight.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of behaved
Verb
  • The original 1971 experiment was conducted by psychology professor Philip Zimbardo, who arbitrarily split volunteers into two groups—inmates and guards—and observed how power corrupted them.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Rousseau argued that societies were happiest before agriculture and metal production corrupted them.
    — Saar Shahar, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of corrupted
Verb
  • Milli Vanilli won a Grammy, got all this attention and then got discredited and didn’t replace Barbra Streisand or Bruce Springsteen or Taylor Swift or the Eurythmics or The Rolling Stones.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Scientists have thoroughly discredited such claims for decades.
    — Ashique KhudaBukhsh, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of discredited
Verb
  • In the latter half of the 1970s, Montgomery played a victim in A Case of Rape, accused and acquitted murderer Lizzie Borden in The Legend of Lizzie Borden and a pioneer woman in The Awakening Land.
    — Justine Fisher, PEOPLE, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Among those tried was Anthony (Tony) White; though he had earlier been acquitted of any connection with the robbery, in October 1995 he was found liable, alongside McAvoy and Robinson, for the full £26 million value of the gold.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of acquitted
Verb
  • How much longer the current cycle can continue may depend on market breadth, which has deteriorated.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Johnson in March 2026 observed that Jones’ mental health had deteriorated in the previous three months.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of deteriorated
Verb
  • Corrections officials said the officers forced Olivas back into his cell and restrained him.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In the realm of celebrities, Leoni crafted a number of custom designs for Hollywood step and repeats that leaned streamlined, unfussy, and tastefully restrained—often in her go-to shades of white or black.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of restrained

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Cite this Entry

“Demeaned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demeaned. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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