demean
dih-MEENverbMeaning to lower someone’s dignity or standing
Memory hook DE-MEAN: MEAN and lowering. Just to show who is boss, Victor makes the new worker scrub the whole floor with a toothbrush: the order is meant to demean him.
The coach refused to demean his players by yelling insults at them.
In context Forcing a worker to wear a sign reading “I was late” would demean anyone; the manager’s new rule was meant to embarrass, not to teach.
Similar degrade, humiliate, debase, lower
Opposite honor, dignify, respect