/ ˌdaʊnˈgreɪd; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
downgrade sb/sth (from sth) (to sth) to move sb/sth down to a lower rank or level :
She's been downgraded from principal to vice-principal.
2.
to make sth/sb seem less important or valuable than it/they really are
—compare upgrade
► down·grad·ing noun [ U , C ]:
a downgrading of diplomatic relations