Vocabulary in context
SAT Vocabulary Workbook
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Abasement
The act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
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Imagine This
Picture a once-proud noble dragged before the court, forced to kneel, titles stripped, while onlookers sneer; his dignity is crushed as his status plummets.
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Sounds Like
uh-BAYS-ment (sounds like 'abase' + 'ment'; similar to the word 'basement').
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Looks Like
Looks like 'basement' visually; related to 'abase' (to humble).
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Remember This
Derived from the verb abase (to humble) with the noun-forming suffix -ment; commonly used to describe public or personal humiliation and degradation.
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Other Forms
abaseverb
abasedadjective
abasinggerund
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Connect With
humiliation, degradation, debasement; related: abase, debase; antonyms: dignity, exaltation, honor
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Note
Avoid confusing with debasement; abasement emphasizes humiliation of dignity, whereas debasement can refer more broadly to lowering quality or value. Also, do not overuse in informal contexts where weaker terms might suffice.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The abasement of the captured king before the crowd sent a clear message about the conqueror's power.
- In the novel, the protagonist endures abasement after a public mistake that costs him his reputation.
Synonyms
humiliationdegradationdebasementmortificationdemeaning treatment
Antonyms
dignityhonorexaltationglorification
Etymology
From Old French abaisser ‘to lower, to humble’ from Latin bassus ‘low, short, shallow’.
Mnemonic
A BASEMENT: Abasement involves making someone feel lower in status. Picture a proud figure being forced down into a basement, losing rank and dignity.
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Refute
verbTo prove a statement or theory false or incorrect; to deny the validity of something through evidence or logical argument.
Profundity
nounThe depth of thought, feeling, or significance; the quality of being deeply insightful or meaningful.
Inane
adjectiveLacking sense or meaning; silly, foolish, or pointless.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
Adversary
nounAn opponent; a foe; an enemy.
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