MEANING
1. To treat someone or something as less worthy, lowering their dignity or standing.
2. To behave in a particular way, especially in the reflexive phrase “demean oneself.”
Use it for
A person is belittled, or someone’s conduct is judged as undignified.Helps distinguish an insult that diminishes dignity from ordinary disagreement or criticism.
On the page
The insult was meant to demean her in front of the staff.
Word forms
- Base
- demean
- Past tense
- demeaned
- Past participle
- demeaned
- Present participle
- demeaning
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- demean
- Present continuous
- am/is/are demeaning
- Present perfect
- have/has demeaned
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been demeaning
- Past
- demeaned
- Past continuous
- was/were demeaning
- Past perfect
- had demeaned
- Past perfect continuous
- had been demeaning
- Future
- will demean
- Future continuous
- will be demeaning
- Future perfect
- will have demeaned
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been demeaning
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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