Degrade means to put downââa degrading comment is one that makes the subject feel bad, a degraded field is one whose soil has been worn out. If you move from an A average to a B, you've been degraded. When you whistle at a passing woman, you're being disrespectfulââyour behavior is degrading to women. In science, degrade means to break down. Old paper or photographs can degrade when left in the lightââtheir material breaks down so that they crumble at a touch. Definitions of degrade.