Debase - Word of the Day for IELTS Speaking & Writing

Prity Mallick

5 min read

Updated On Nov 20, 2025

Discover how the word, ‘Debase’, can strengthen your IELTS Speaking & Writing answers as you describe reducing the quality or value of something. Explore its synonyms, strategies to use it in various topics, and exercise to master it for a band 8+.

Debase - Word of the Day for IELTS Speaking & Writing

What is the Meaning of ‘Debase’?
How to Use ‘Debase’ in IELTS Speaking & Writing?
Exercise on the Word ‘Debase’ for IELTS Speaking & Writing

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The word ‘Debase’ is an addition to your vocabulary toolkit for the IELTS Speaking & Writing sections. This will help you to talk about the deterioration of cultural practices, the adverse influence of modern technology, and society's immoral conduct. Using it can raise the quality of your answers in the IELTS Exam. Do not forget that your choice of the purposefully, vividly, and contextually appropriate words will assess your lexical knowledge. As you dive into the meaning, tips, and various factors related to the word, remember to fit it in your regular practice sessions to gain confidence in using it.

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What is the Meaning of ‘Debase’?

Being able to control your IELTS Vocabulary is one of the best ways of showcasing an advanced level of language proficiency which would lead you to a band score of 8+. Therefore, it is important to learn how to recognize the meaning, usage, and topic where you can incorporate the term ‘Debase’. This will help you to pick the right word for the appropriate situation to elevate the depth of your answer. Below is a table which will help you to understand the meaning, synonyms, and example sentences for both IELTS Speaking & Writing sections.

Topic	Description
Debase	Verb
Definition	To make someone or something lose its value or people’s respect
Synonyms	Cheapen, Demoralize, Demean
Collocations	Debase a currency/ coinage
Example	For IELTS Speaking : To deny the truth on grounds of faith alone debases both science and religion. Even the love of Troilus and Cressida is debased by the Trojan atmosphere, and misplaced values. For IELTS Writing : By adding base metals, the leaders debased the currency, hurting its value, and fueling inflation. Misinformation can greatly debase the quality of public debates.

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How to Use ‘Debase’ in IELTS Speaking & Writing?

Using advanced verbs like ‘Debase’ would help showcase your ability to deal with complex ideas in a very precise manner. With the proper use, you can bring out sharper arguments, opinions, and deeper explanations in your IELTS Speaking & Writing sections. The table below would help you to understand how to make the word sound natural and effective in different IELTS scenarios.

Situation	IELTS Speaking	IELTS Writing
Social behaviour	Give a description of how sinful and hurtful acts placed moral standards on the ground. Example: In my opinion, constant gossip in friendship circles can debase the trust that binds people together.	Point out the collapse of moral or ethical values in society. Example: The public’s disrespect for the rules continues to debase the harmony in society.
Unethical actions	Talk about moral corruption which you have either witnessed or heard about. Example: Corruption, without doubt, debases people’s trust in public institutions.	Debate the issue of governance and ethics using it in a structured argument. Example: Corrupt practices, without a doubt, debase the government’s credibility.
Media	Use it to comment on poor-quality entertainment or trends. Example: Some reality shows debase the whole concept of talent.	Use it to discuss cultural decay or media hype. Example: Your average online content tends to debase the whole of the values of a culture by the sheer fact that it is promoting superficial behaviour.
Showing Opinions	Incorporate it to express an analytical viewpoint when the topic is moral or social decline. Example: In my opinion, aggressive marketing debases our ability to differentiate between the real needs and the exaggerated ones.	Incorporate it to establish a powerful case in papers. Example: Deceptive ads debase the consumer's consciousness and push to make illogical decisions.
Issues in the workplace	Incorporate it to talk about dropping standards in the workplace or school. Example: The presence of bad managers can debase the working environment.	Incorporate it to point out the failure of the organization or the failure in terms of ethics. Example: Policies which are unjust in the workplace debase the spirits of workers and their productivity.
Issues related to the environment	Incorporate it to indicate that negligence of people has a bad effect on nature. Example: Littering debases the charm of the areas visited by tourists.	Incorporate it to assess the extent to which human activity has a negative effect on the environment. Example: The ozone layer depletion caused by industrial emissions debases a global issue on Earth.

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Exercise on the Word ‘Debase’ for IELTS Speaking & Writing

Now that the word ‘Debase’ has been thoroughly explored with definition, synonyms, and contexts, the next step is practicing the usage. The first task is to understand the meaning of each sentence, find out the spot for the word that fits best, and then select the correct answer. So are you ready to check your progress? Let’s get started!

Match the word below to complete these sentences.

elemental	emanate	decadent
enervate	debasing	equations

1 Casinos sound such arbitrary and ………….. places; nobody would want their economy’s fate to be determined in one.

2 When you reduce some-thing to its most …………….. state, its nuclear core, you can generalise from there.

3 This whole extravaganza is demeaning, ……………. and deeply damaging to what should be serious political discourse, the protesters complain.

4 Whimperings, body movements, tail-wags, even little yelps are all heard to ……………… from sleeping canines.

5 Feeling at once ………………. and threatened, the enterprise collectively hunkers into a defensive, self-protective posture.

6 Mathematicians scribble ……………………. on blackboards and program supercomputers to make the billions of calculations needed to break a tough code.

Answer to the Exercise on ‘Debase’ for IELTS Speaking & Writing

The best way to get a higher IELTS Band Score in the IELTS Speaking & Writing sections is to analyze your errors thoroughly, understand the reasoning behind it, and then get familiar with the right usage of the word in the context. Such vocabulary skills help you to express feelings and thoughts with precision in both Speaking and Writing.

decadent
elemental
debasing
emanate
enervate
equations

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Remember to use the word ‘Debase’ properly in your answers which gives you the opportunity to communicate ideas properly. This will help present your arguments powerfully and demonstrate the ability to think evaluatively. Acquiring such words can make your response for theSpeaking and IELTS Writing more robust. Therefore, continue the practice as the usage of vocabulary is an indicator of a higher level of English proficiency that makes your answers become more refined and persuasive.

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