To demean someone means to treat them in a way that damages their dignity or makes them seem less worthy of respect. When you demean someone, you're doing or saying something that makes them feel small, embarrassed, or less important than they really are.

A teacher who constantly criticizes a student in front of the class for asking questions is demeaning that student, even if the questions seem simple. The criticism might be about the schoolwork, but the public humiliation attacks the student's sense of worth. When someone uses a mocking tone to point out your mistakes or rolls their eyes at your ideas during a group project, they're demeaning you.

Demeaning behavior often involves treating people as if they're beneath you or don't deserve basic courtesy. Making fun of how someone talks, dismissing their opinions without consideration, or giving them tasks specifically meant to humiliate them are all examples of demeaning treatment.