degrade vs reduce

degrade and reduce both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
degrade	No	No	Yes	No
reduce	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, reduce is a hyponym of degrade; that is, reduce is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than degrade:

degrade: reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
reduce: lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation

Other hyponyms of degrade include dehumanise, dehumanize.

degrade (verb)	reduce (verb)
lower the grade of something; reduce its worth	take off weight
reduce the level of land, as by erosion	cut down on; make a reduction in
reduce in worth or character, usually verbally	narrow or limit
	cook until very little liquid is left
	to remove oxygen from a compound, or cause to react with hydrogen or form a hydride, or to undergo an increase in the number of electrons
	make smaller
	reduce in size; reduce physically
	make less complex
	reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
	lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture
	be cooked until very little liquid is left
	be the essential element
	destress and thus weaken a sound when pronouncing it
	undergo meiosis
	reposition (a broken bone after surgery) back to its normal site
	lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation
	lessen and make more modest
	simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another
	bring to humbler or weaker state or condition
	put down by force or intimidation