BASTARDIZE Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

bastardize

verb

ˈba-stər-ˌdīz

Definition of bastardize

as in to degrade

to lower in character, dignity, or quality bastardize the art form by adapting it to popular taste

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of bastardize The events meant to bring us together, like the Super Bowl or March Madness, have been bastardized into vehicles for ruinous addiction. — MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025 Additionally, adding the musical element further bastardizes this tale. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025 Over the years, though, the cocktail has become bastardized into a sugary drink containing all sorts of fruit juices and sweeteners, causing it to be denegrated alongside the likes of Long Island Ice Teas and Strawberry Daiquiris. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2023 These white people in blackface entertained the masses with stereotypes of Blackness, bastardizing the Black identity in the process. — Tayo Bero, refinery29.com, 4 Apr. 2023 See All Example Sentences for bastardize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastardize

Verb

As a side benefit, because only the tread is in contact with the road, the rest of the tire could be made of non-traditional polymers that don't degrade into tiny particles under force of friction.

— Ben Coxworth October 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
Local farms face ever degrading soil conditions, tougher markets and more extreme weather patterns.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of degrade

Verb

The ten 8-10’ stand-alone episodes use cerebral, high-concept horror to tell stories about African women who triumph, overcome and subvert in surprising ways.

— Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
According to tax authorities, by inappropriately avoiding gains, investors are subverting the intention of the rules.

— Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of subvert

Verb

Delphi sits above a geologic vent, an X from which noxious gases escaped the earth, corrupting the minds of women who inhaled and pronounced their prophecies.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
The audience is interacting with an object that had been scanned, that had been corrupted in some way.

— Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of corrupt

Verb

So to give the Senate itself more power to pass popular bills, the pair will need to find 67 senators willing to dilute their own individual power — at least just a little bit.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
There is a fear that a company will be forced to dilute shareholders or choke itself with expensive debt to build factories to fulfill orders.

— Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of dilute

Verb

This caution is surprising in a writer who has elsewhere been fearless about identity and America, attentive to the country’s institutional capacity to humiliate, compromise, and implicate the people who claim it.

— Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
But the Saudis, humiliated by their losses in Yemen, seem likely to lash out.

— Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of humiliate

Verb

This rousing tribute to the free press, delivered by the son of a journalist, was followed by the world premiere of Danny Boyle’s Ink, a film about how the journalists at British tabloid The Sun ended up debasing our entire society.

— Nate Jones, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
The bulk of these are in regions like Africa and South America, where governments have repeatedly debased national currencies, and prompted their citizens to seek out sturdier assets like Tether’s dollar and gold offerings instead.

— Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of debase

Verb

Fink said the churn weakens the tie between a worker and an employer.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Other potential causes are higher rates of chronic stress, depression and anxiety, as well as autoimmune diseases, which weaken the immune system, Curhan said.

— Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Noguchi, Nakashima, and Amino were adults on February 19, 1942, when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which forced Japanese American families to quickly abandon or destroy their property and board trains to the holding centers.

— Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Refineries in Russia have been destroyed or damaged by drone attacks.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of destroy

Browse Nearby Words

bastard

bastardize

bastardized

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bastardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastardize. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bastardize

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes