downgrade 1 of 3

noun

ˈdau̇n-ˌgrād How to pronounce downgrade (audio)
Definition of downgradenext
1
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level a singing career on the downgrade

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in downhill
a downward slope the gentle downgrade of the parking area is designed for drainage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

downgrade

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to demote
to bring to a lower grade or rank increased automation resulted in many jobs in the factory being downgraded

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reduce
to diminish the price or value of the company's filing for Chapter 11 downgraded the stock to the point where it was selling for pennies a share

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

downgrade

3 of 3

adverb

as in downward

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Dissimilar Words

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 downgrade
Noun
The last thing this administration should be doing at a time when Chicago’s credit rating is hanging by a thread is give analysts more fodder for future downgrades to add to the four Johnson already has amassed on his three-year watch. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 Some coaching changes were flat out downgrades from their predecessors while others, while not necessarily poor coaches in their own right, were terrible fits and never should have been considered in the first place. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
After moving away from the islands, Lala was downgraded and remained a strong tropical storm on Sunday far out in the Central Pacific. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 Twenty-two wide moats were downgraded, twenty to narrow and two to none, concentrated in enterprise software, IT services and payroll, hitting names like Workday, Adobe, Salesforce and ADP. — Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downgrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downgrade
  1. deterioration
  2. downhill
  3. demote
  4. reduce
  5. downward
  6. decline
  7. dip
  8. down
Noun
  • The City is aware of deterioration to the pavers surrounding the memorial related to the seawall conditions in this section of the Riverwalk.
    — Bri Buckley, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The deterioration in DeepMind’s talent flows coincided with the lab tightening its publication rules, Hurd said, something that Zeki researchers say may have weakened one of the lab’s most important draws for research-minded staff.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of deterioration
Noun
  • Allen is a solid downhill, change-of-pace runner who can be used in short-yardage situations.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Picklejus aims for the complete package in mountain running, tackling not just distances greater than 100 miles but also the dramatic uphills and downhills that may come along the way.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of downhill
Verb
  • An officer with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department who misused the county’s license plate reader system has been demoted, suspended without pay and faced other disciplinary measures, according to a release from Sheriff Jeffery Balon.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But Miami shouldn’t hesitate to find and claim better receivers off the waiver wire, and possibly demote him to the practice squad.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of demote
Verb
  • Its movements and squeaks change in response to the person interacting with it, giving caregivers another way to reduce distress and encourage engagement.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • For instance, a creditor might bid $35,000 for a $50,000 SUV, reducing the judgment by that amount, then sell it for $50,000, pocketing $15,000.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduce
Adverb
  • If unemployment for this group goes from, say, five per cent to ten per cent, their confidence in the job market, already rapidly trending downward, will dive toward a true bottom.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Early symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, Pennsylvania health officials said, and a rash follows a few days later, starting on the head and spreading downward.
    — Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of downward
Noun
  • That rapid decline makes the question of how coach Dan Campbell and the team rebound one of the most interesting in the entire league.
    — NBC Sports, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The local enrollment declines are mostly concentrated in local districts’ elementary schools.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of decline
Noun
  • Strong corporate earnings, waves of enthusiasm about artificial intelligence and a buy-the-dip mentality led by retail investors contributed to the market’s resilience.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Outside, the spacious balcony and its plush sofa were an open invite for a sunrise coffee, and the trail of wooden steps to the water meant pre-dinner dips in the sea were part of the daily routine.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dip
Adverb
  • If all these additional investments pan out, only 10% of the world’s oil will need to travel through the Strait of Hormuz, down from 20% before the war.
    — Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Tehran's crude loadings are down about 70% in August from 893,000 bpd last month.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of down

Browse Nearby Words

downfalls
downgrade
downgraded
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Cite this Entry

“Downgrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downgrade. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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