different between vilify vs debase

English

Etymology

From Late Latin v?lific?re, present active infinitive of v?lific? (“vilify”),

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?v?l.?.fa?/

Verb

vilify (third-person singular simple present vilifies, present participle vilifying, simple past and past participle vilified)

1. (transitive) To say defamatory things about someone or something; to speak ill of.

   Synonyms: abuse, assail, criticize, decry, denigrate, demonize, denounce, libel, revile, slander, run down; see also Thesaurus:defame

   Antonyms: glorify, praise

2. (transitive) To belittle through speech; to put down.

   Synonyms: berate; see also Thesaurus:criticize

   Antonyms: glorify, praise

Derived terms

• vilification
• vilifiable
• vilifier

Related terms

• vile

Translations

English

Etymology

From de- +? base, from Old French bas, from Latin bassus. Cognate with Spanish debajo (“under, beneath, below”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??be?s/
• Rhymes: -e?s

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade.
   • 1961 May 9, Newton N. Minow, "Television and the Public Interest":

     And just as history will decide whether the leaders of today's world employed the atom to destroy the world or rebuild it for mankind's benefit, so will history decide whether today's broadcasters employed their powerful voice to enrich the people or to debase them.

2. (transitive, archaic) To lower in position or rank.
3. (transitive) To lower the value of (a currency) by reducing the amount of valuable metal in the coins.

Synonyms

• (lower in character, quality, or value): abase, adulterate, degrade, demean

Derived terms

Translations

References

Anagrams

• e-based, sea bed, seabed