What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
debase
Example
The company's decision to use cheap materials will debase the quality of their products. [debase: verb]
Example
The politician's scandalous behavior has debased his reputation in the eyes of the public. [debased: past participle]
demean
Example
The boss's constant criticism and insults demeaned his employees. [demean: verb]
Example
The comedian's jokes were offensive and demeaning to certain groups of people. [demeaning: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Demean is more commonly used than debase in everyday language. Demean is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while debase is less common and tends to be used in more formal contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between debase and demean?
Debase is more formal than demean. It is often used in academic or professional settings to describe the reduction of value or quality of something. On the other hand, demean is more informal and is often used in everyday conversation to describe personal attacks or insults.
