abase

verb

ə-ˈbās How to pronounce abase (audio)
abased; abasing
Synonyms of abasenext

transitive verb

1
formal : to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem
abase oneself
… the shame that had abased him within and without …— James Joyce
2
archaic : to lower physically
As we enter among them the great elephant makes us a bow in the best style of elephantine courtesy, bending lowly down his mountain bulk, with trunk abased and leg thrust out behind.— Nathaniel Hawthorne
abasement
ə-ˈbās-mənt How to pronounce abase (audio)
noun

Synonyms

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Examples of abase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Turturro was attracted to the novel’s house style: Its manic, sarcastic, abasing observations, largely written in the third person but never far from Sabbath’s perspective, seemed made for the theater. — Marc Tracy, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023 Pence has long since perfected the ability to abase himself in public without seeming the least bit ashamed. — Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

alteration (conformed to base entry 3) of Middle English abessen, abaisen, abaschen, borrowed from Anglo-French abesser, abaisser, from a-, prefix in transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad-) + -besser, going back to Vulgar Latin *bassiāre "to lower," derivative of Late Latin bassus "fat, short, low" — more at ad-, base entry 3

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of abase was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing abase

Rhymes for abase

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abase
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Cite this Entry

“Abase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abase. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

abase

verb
ə-ˈbās How to pronounce abase (audio)
abased; abasing
formal
: to lower in rank or position : humble, degrade
abasement
-mənt How to pronounce abase (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on abase

Nglish: Translation of abase for Spanish Speakers

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