These words indicate the act of stripping someone of pride, self-respect, rank or reputation. Disgrace points to lowering someone in other people’s estimation: a scandal that disgraced both husband and wife. Downgrade is most frequently used to refer to a literal demotion: a sergeant downgraded to the rank of private; workers who felt themselves downgraded by the new pay award. Degrade may be used in this sense, but more often suggests disgusting or immoral habits or behaviour that destroys a person’s character or publicly disgraces him: a fine mind degraded and dulled by dope addiction; accusations intended to degrade him and destroy his reputation. Humiliate can refer to any inner feeling or outward act that robs someone of his self-respect: a husband who enjoyed humiliating his wife in public; she felt thoroughly humiliated at her own lack of insight.

Debase suggests an action that reduces the intrinsic value of something: currency debased by inflationary measures; political discussion debased by an atmosphere of hysteria. As can be seen, debase may be more factual or descriptive than degrade which suggests a more thorough but more subjective or moral sort of depredation.

The remaining words all concentrate on what one does to oneself. Abase can suggest sycophantic grovelling or merely a ceremonial showing of respect: abasing himself before the hardened criminals he had been confined with; the vassal abased himself before the throne of his liege at the beginning of every audience. Demean suggests any lowering of oneself by unworthy motives or behaviour: demeaning himself in his eagerness to meet the famous author. This word can refer to a hostile act towards someone else: attempting to demean the witness by asking all sorts of extraneous questions about his personal life. Humble can refer to an awesome experience: feeling small and humbled by the sight of the Sistine murals. When not reflexive the word functions as a milder substitute for humiliate : trying to humble her husband by making him ask for every cent he spent.