debase

de·base

This building has been debased.

verb

To debase is defined as to cheapen, or make lower in value or quality.

An example of debase is to lower the value of a building by spray painting it with graffiti.

transitive verb

-·based′, -·bas′ing

to make lower in value, quality, character, dignity, etc.; cheapen

Origin of debase

de- + base, aphetic from abase

transitive verb

de·based, de·bas·ing, de·bas·es

To lower in character, quality, or value; degrade.

Origin of debase

de- base ²

Related Forms:

Verb

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

To lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade.
(archaic) To lower in position or rank.
To lower the value of (a currency) by reducing the amount of valuable metal in the coins.

If heroes could so debase themselves, can we wonder if men who were not heroes lent themselves to every sort of villainy ?
Although his resources had been so completely drained that he had been forced to melt the silver in his palaces and to debase the coinage, his energy soon brought back the national prosperity.
His need of money led him to debase the currency eighty-one times between 1350 and 1355.
His chief financial expedient was to debase, or rather ruin, the currency by issuing copper tokens redeemable in better times; but it was no fault of his that Charles XII., during his absence, flung upon the market too enormous an amount of this copper money for Gertz to deal with.

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