Abase
/əˈbeɪs/
verbC2
Definition
Abase means to lower someone’s position, dignity, or self-respect. It usually happens when a person is treated badly or made to feel ashamed in front of others. It is a strong word used for serious acts of disrespect or humiliation.
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See It in Action
To lower someone’s rank, status, or dignity
- •The cruel leader abased his opponents in front of the crowd.
- •She refused to abase herself by begging for forgiveness.
- •The bully abased the younger children at school.
To make someone feel ashamed or embarrassed
- •He felt abased after being publicly criticized.
- •The harsh words abased her confidence.
- •They tried to abase him during the meeting to show who was boss.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'abase' like 'hurt,' but not physically—it's hurting someone’s feelings or pride deeply
- ✓Picture someone bowing very low or kneeling to show they are less important—this shows abasement
- ✓It’s the feeling when someone makes you feel small or weak in front of others, like being put down
- ✓Sounds like 'a-base' → imagine a base (bottom) where someone is pushed down to the lowest point
- ✓In stories, villains often abase heroes to show power; it’s about making others feel less
- ✓NOT like 'criticize' (which is about saying bad things), 'abase' is about making someone feel very low inside
- ✓NOT like 'ignore' (no attention), 'abase' is active—someone does something to lower another person
- ✓NOT like 'humble' (which can be positive), 'abase' has a negative meaning of forcing someone down
Try Other Words
- •Humiliate: to make someone feel ashamed or embarrassed (Use when focusing on shame or embarrassment)
- •Degrade: to lower someone’s status or value (Use when the focus is on loss of respect)
- •Belittle: to make someone seem less important (Use when the action is about making someone feel small or unimportant)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: 'a-' (a form of 'to' or 'toward') + root 'base' (meaning low or bottom)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'abassare,' meaning to bring down or lower
- •Historical development: Used since the 1500s in English to mean lowering in rank or dignity
- •Modern usage: Mostly formal or literary, used to describe serious acts of humiliation or lowering someone’s honor
Reflect & Connect
•Can someone abase themselves in a positive way, or is it always negative? Why?
•How does the idea of abasement help us understand respect and kindness in daily life?
Fill in the blanks
1.The manager abased the employee ___ front of the whole team to show ___ power.
2.Feeling abased often causes a loss of ___ and confidence.
3.Unlike a simple mistake, to abase someone means to ___ their dignity deeply.
4.People who abase others usually want to ___ their own importance.
5.When someone refuses to abase themselves, they show ___ and self-respect.
6.The speech was meant to abase the opponent, but it only made the speaker look ___.
7.After being abased, she worked hard to regain her ___ and pride.