demeaning

adjective

de·​mean·​ing di-ˈmē-niŋ How to pronounce demeaning (audio)
: damaging or lowering the character, status, or reputation of someone or something
The work was dirty and demeaning, though not quite as somber as it sounds.Gillian Beer
He changed one song title … to slip around radio's reluctance to play songs with demeaning words in them …Neil Strauss
[Sylvia Plath] is most helpfully linked, not to the demeaning disputes of her milieu, but to such powerful predecessors as Theodore Roethke, T. S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas, and above all Emily Dickinson.Joyce Carol Oates
demeaningly adverb
When Lorna … takes control of the inmates' pharmacy, she decides that no one needs medication. It's her belief that those who are demeaningly labeled "crazy" are given medication in order to stifle their uniqueness … Sophie-Marie Prime

Examples of demeaning in a Sentence

demanded an apology for his demeaning comments
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Even by his already demeaning standards, Trump's rallies and events have also taken a dark turn this fall. David Faris, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 Oz winces when Al throws him a big old necklace from the family jewel case; the gesture is completely demeaning. Andy Andersen, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024 This comes after the former president's Madison Square Garden rally where comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made demeaning jokes about Puerto Rico and Latinos in general. Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 Also, the former president has made demeaning comments about women in the past. Kelsey Walsh, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for demeaning 

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of demean entry 1

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of demeaning was in 1770

Dictionary Entries Near demeaning

Cite this Entry

“Demeaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demeaning. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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