degrade

transitive senses 1 a : to lower in grade, rank, or status : DEMOTE b : to strip of rank or honors c : to lower to an inferior or less effective level d : to scale down in desirability or salability 2 a : to bring to low esteem or into disrepute b : to drag down in moral or intellectual character : CORRUPT 3 : to impair in respect to some physical property 4 : to wear down by erosion 5 : to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) : DECOMPOSE intransitive senses 1 : to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower 2 of a chemical compound : to become reduced in complexity