to demote / degrade
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to demote
To move someone down to a lower military or professional rank. This often happens as a punishment for misconduct.
Nach dem Skandal wurde der Manager zum einfachen Sachbearbeiter degradiert.
After the scandal, the manager was demoted to a regular clerk.
The word 'degradieren' (to demote / degrade) comes from Latin. The prefix 'de-' means 'down' or 'away', and 'gradus' means 'step' or 'rank'. So the literal meaning is to put someone or something on a lower level.
Man kann eine Person oder auch eine Sache degradieren.
You can degrade a person or also a thing.
The verb 'degradieren' (to demote / degrade) is almost always used with the preposition 'zu' + dative. The structure is: someone (subject) demotes/degrades someone/something (accusative) to something (dative).
Der Kapitän wurde zum einfachen Matrosen degradiert.
The captain was demoted to a regular sailor.
The context reveals which meaning is intended. If it is about people in a profession or in the military, it means demotion in rank. In discussions, it is about demeaning or lowering the quality of something. In scientific texts, it refers to chemical breakdown.
Man sollte Sport nicht zu einem reinen Geschäft degradieren.
One should not degrade sports into a purely commercial business.
The meaning 'abbauen' (to break down) or 'zersetzen' (to decompose) belongs to the technical language of chemistry and biology. In normal everyday life, 'degradieren' (to degrade) is not used in this sense.
Das Plastik wird im Meer nur sehr langsam degradiert.
The plastic degrades only very slowly in the ocean.
to dismiss / discharge
'entlassen' and 'degradieren' can both describe a negative decision about a person at work or in the military. But they do not mean the same thing. With 'entlassen', the job or service ends: the person no longer works there. With 'degradieren', the person usually stays in the organization but receives a lower rank or position. They can be confused because both can happen after misconduct. Remember: 'entlassen' means out of the job; 'degradieren' means one step down.
Wegen seines Verhaltens degradierte die Armee den Offizier zum einfachen Soldaten.
Because of his behavior, the army demoted the officer to a regular soldier.
Nach dem Diebstahl wurde der Kassierer sofort entlassen.
After the theft, the cashier was fired immediately.