a downward slope, esp. of a road.

downhill.

to assign to a lower status with a smaller salary.

to minimize the importance of; denigrate

She tried to downgrade the findings of the investigation.

to assign a lower security classification to (information, a document, etc.). ?

on the downgrade

in a decline toward an inferior state or position

His career has been on the downgrade.

noun

upgrade

verb

improve , promote , raise , upgrade

noun

decline , declivity , descent , dip , hill , inclination , pitch , comedown , down , downfall

verb

abase , bench * , break * , bump * , bust * , declass , decrease , decry , degrade , demerit , demote , denigrate , depreciate , detract from , devalorize , devalue , disparage , disrate , humble , mark down , minimize , reduce , run down , set back , take down a peg , undervalue , write off * , break , bump , cheapen , demean , deprecate , derogate , detract , discount , slight , talk down , depress , devaluate , lower , write down , belittle , debase , decline , descent , drop , hill , lessen , pitch , slope