# degrade

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈɡɹeɪd/ · frequency rank #20,089

## Definitions
1. To lower in value or social position.
2. To reduce in quality or purity.
3. To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.

## Etymology
From Middle French dégrader.

## Easily confused with
- **degree** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/degrade-vs-degree)
- **degraded** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/degrade-vs-degraded)
- **decade** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decade-vs-degrade)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ddegrade`, `degarde`, `deggrade`, `degraed`, `degrdae`, `degrrade`, `dergade`, `dgerade`, `edgrade`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/degrade