Downgrade vs. Degrade — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 16, 2024
Downgrading refers to lowering something in rank or quality, often in a systematic or hierarchical context, while degrading involves reducing the integrity or quality of something, usually implying harm or decline.
Difference Between Downgrade and Degrade
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Downgrading typically occurs in formal settings like business or technology, where a product, service, or employee is moved to a lower status or version. On the other hand, degrading is more commonly associated with causing decay or erosion in quality, value, or dignity, often seen in environmental or social contexts.
When something is downgraded, it often retains its fundamental characteristics but is repositioned in a less favorable tier or version, such as software being reverted to an earlier, less feature-rich version. Whereas degrading something usually implies a diminishing of its original attributes or a compromise of its structure, such as chemicals degrading a material.
Downgrading is a controlled and often reversible action, like downgrading a subscription plan from premium to basic, which is a deliberate decision. In contrast, degrading often occurs as a result of external factors and may not be easily reversible, such as environmental conditions degrading infrastructure.
The term "downgrade" can also be used in financial contexts, where it refers to lowering the credit rating of an entity, reflecting decreased financial stability or increased risk. Meanwhile, "degrade" is often used in contexts like communication where signal quality might degrade over distance.
While downgrading might not always carry a negative connotation and can sometimes be strategic or necessary, degrading almost always has negative implications, suggesting harm or decline that is generally unwanted or harmful.
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Comparison Chart
Context
Systematic, hierarchical
Quality or integrity reduction
Implication
Lower status or version, possibly strategic
Harm, decay, or erosion, usually negative
Reversibility
Often reversible
Typically irreversible or hard to reverse
Common Uses
Business, technology, finance
Environment, materials, social contexts
Example of Application
Downgrading software, downgrading credit rating
Materials degrading, signal degradation
Compare with Definitions
Downgrade
To reduce to a lower grade or rank.
The employee was downgraded due to poor performance.
Degrade
To break down or deteriorate chemically.
Plastic bags degrade over time into smaller particles.
Downgrade
To reduce in quality or value.
The hotel was downgraded from five stars to four.
Degrade
To disparage or denigrate someone.
The comments on the article tended to degrade those involved.
Downgrade
To reduce the version of software or technology.
She downgraded her phone's operating system to fix a bug.
Degrade
To reduce in dignity or moral character.
The harsh conditions degraded his spirits.
Downgrade
In finance, to lower the credit rating.
The country's debt was downgraded by the rating agency.
Degrade
To reduce in quality or functionality.
The image degrades with each photocopy.
Downgrade
To lower the priority level of something.
The project was downgraded in urgency.
Degrade
To diminish in physical property.
UV light can degrade the colors of fabrics.
Downgrade
In computing, downgrading refers to reverting software (or hardware) back to an older version; downgrade is the opposite of upgrade. Programs may need to be downgraded to remove introduced bugs, restore useful removed features, and to increase speed and/or ease of use.
Degrade
To fall to a lower rank or status.
Downgrade
To lower the status, rank, or salary of
The weather service downgraded the hurricane to a tropical storm.
Degrade
To lower in quality or value; make inferior or less valuable
Land that was degraded by overgrazing.
A virus that degrades the computer's performance.
Downgrade
To minimize the importance, value, or reputation of
Downgraded his team's contribution to the project.
Degrade
To lower in dignity; dishonor or disgrace
Seemed to feel that he was degrading himself in accepting the invitation.
Downgrade
A descending slope, as in a road.
Degrade
To reduce in grade, rank, or status; demote.
Downgrade
An act of downgrading, as in status, rank, or amount
The company averted a downgrade of its credit rating.
Degrade
(Geology) To lower or wear away by erosion or weathering.
Downgrade
A decline, as in fortune, status, or condition
A neighborhood on the downgrade.
Degrade
To cause (an organic compound) to undergo degradation.
Downgrade
A reduction of a rating, as a financial or credit rating.
Degrade
To undergo degradation; decompose
A chemical that degrades rapidly.
Downgrade
A downhill gradient on a road or railway.
Degrade
(transitive) To lower in value or social position.
Fred degrades himself by his behaviour.
Downgrade
A reduction in quality; a descent towards an inferior state.
Degrade
To reduce in quality or purity.
The DNA sample has degraded.
Downgrade
To place lower in position.
The stock was downgraded from ‘buy’ to ‘sell’.
Degrade
To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.
Downgrade
To reduce in complexity, or remove unnecessary parts; to dumb down.
Degrade
To reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree; to lower in rank; to deprive of office or dignity; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman, or a general officer.
Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be degraded from the bar.
Downgrade
(transitive) To disparage.
Degrade
To reduce in estimation, character, or reputation; to lessen the value of; to lower the physical, moral, or intellectual character of; to debase; to bring shame or contempt upon; to disgrace; as, vice degrades a man.
O miserable mankind, to what fallDegraded, to what wretched state reserved!
Yet time ennobles or degrades each line.
Her pride . . . struggled hard against this degrading passion.
Downgrade
(meteorology) to reduce the official estimate of a storm's intensity.
Degrade
To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.
Downgrade
(computing) To revert software back to an older version.
Degrade
To degenerate; to pass from a higher to a lower type of structure; as, a family of plants or animals degrades through this or that genus or group of genera.
Downgrade
The property possessed by a slope or surface that descends
Degrade
Reduce the level of land, as by erosion
Downgrade
Rate lower; lower in value or esteem
Degrade
Reduce in worth or character, usually verbally;
She tends to put down younger women colleagues
His critics took him down after the lecture
Degrade
Lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
Common Curiosities
Is downgrading always a negative action?
Downgrading is not always negative; it can be a strategic decision based on current needs or resources, such as downgrading an expensive service to save money.
What does it mean to downgrade software?
Downgrading software means reverting it to an earlier version that may have fewer features or different functionality.
Can a person be degraded?
Yes, a person can be degraded, especially in terms of being treated in a way that reduces their dignity or respect.
How does environmental exposure degrade materials?
Environmental exposure, like sunlight or chemicals, can degrade materials by breaking down their structural integrity or altering their chemical properties.
What is a common example of downgrading in finance?
A common example of downgrading in finance is the lowering of a credit rating, which reflects a higher perceived risk of default.
Can degrading be used in a positive context?
Although typically negative, degrading can be seen positively in scenarios like biodegradation, where material breakdown is beneficial for environmental management.
What are the long-term effects of continually downgrading systems or technologies?
Continually downgrading systems or technologies can lead to inefficiencies, increased maintenance costs, and difficulties in meeting modern demands or security standards.
Is it common to downgrade employee positions?
Downgrading employee positions is not common and can negatively affect morale and productivity; it is typically a last resort in response to organizational restructuring or performance issues.
How does social media contribute to degrading someone’s reputation?
Social media can accelerate the degradation of someone’s reputation by spreading negative, false, or private information widely and quickly.
How does soil degrade, and what are the consequences?
Soil degrades through processes like erosion, contamination, and nutrient depletion, often leading to decreased agricultural productivity and ecological imbalance.
What is the impact of downgrading a product's quality?
Downgrading a product's quality usually leads to a decrease in customer satisfaction and may affect a company's reputation negatively if expectations are not managed.
What measures can prevent the degradation of a material?
Preventive measures against material degradation include using protective coatings, choosing suitable materials for the environmental conditions, and regular maintenance.
How do businesses handle the downgrading of services to clients?
Businesses handle service downgrades by communicating transparently with clients about the changes, offering alternatives, and focusing on retaining client satisfaction.
What does it mean to downgrade an investment?
To downgrade an investment typically means to lower its rating based on anticipated performance, which can affect investor interest and the investment’s market value.
Can software degradation occur, and what causes it?
Software degradation can occur due to factors like outdated technology, unsupported systems, or cumulative bugs, leading to reduced performance and security vulnerabilities.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
