abase, debase, demean, degrade, humble, humiliate 这些动词均有“贬低”之义。
abase 表示失去或自愿放弃尊严或声望（prestige）。
- 我看着同事们在理事会面前卑躬屈膝。
I watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the board of trustees.
debase 强调价值或品质的损失，尤其是道德标准的恶化。
- 体育运动因受商业赞助而降低了声誉。
Sport is being debased by commercial sponsorship.
demean 常意味着不适当的行为或交往是失去地位的原因。
- 我不会表现得像个疑神疑鬼的妻子一样自贬身价。
I wasn't going to demean myself by acting like a suspicious wife. - Those who opposed them said the idea of token non-executives was demeaning for women, who would prefer to rise on the basis of merit rather than sex.
反对人士认为，女性更愿意依靠自身才能而非性别获得擢升，担任象征意义的非执行董事反而有辱她们的尊严。
——《经济学人》
degrade 侧重指降级，有时是在等级上，更常见的是在道德地位上，通常意味着可耻或不道德的结局。
- 该党因私下接受捐赠而蒙羞。
The Party is being degraded by its acceptance of secret donations.
humble 尤其是在需要着重强调地位降低带来的羞辱时常替代 degrade （降低……的身份、侮辱……的人格）使用。（拓展学习：熟词僻义 | humble 是一种怎样的击败？）
- 她的大度和勤奋使他自惭形秽。
He was humbled by her generosity and industry.
humiliate 意味着严重伤害一个人的自尊心并导致深深的耻辱。
