The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word ABASED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
A
B
A
S
E
D
More clues leading to the result ABASED
- Humiliated when found participating in a plot
- Brought low and embarrassed? Not hard
- Humiliated when implicated in lying
- Humbled, like journalist encountering a bishop
- Humiliated by answer when caught in bed
- In retirement, banking assets extremely devalued
- A daughter put on pedestal? On the contrary, belittled
- Not up and about because humiliated
- Belittled a duke touring HQ
- Humiliated a principal, started dissing
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "belittled" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case belittled = abased.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ABASED mean?
ABASED verb- To lower, as in condition in life, office, rank, etc., so as to cause pain or hurt feelings; to degrade, to depress, to humble, to humiliate.
- To lower physically; to depress; to cast or throw down; to stoop.
- To lower in value, in particular by altering the content of alloys in coins; to debase.
- Humbled; lowered, especially in rank, position, or prestige.
- Borne lower than usual, as a fess; also, having the ends of the wings turned downward towards the point of the shield.