decadent

adjective

dec·a·dent | \ ˈde-kə-dənt

also di-ˈkā-\

Definition of decadent

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : characterized by or appealing to self-indulgence a rich and decadent dessert the hotel's decadent luxury

2 : marked by decay or decline an increasingly decadent society

3 literature : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a group of late 19th century French and English writers tending toward artificial and unconventional subjects and subtilized style : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the decadents (see decadent entry 2 sense 1)

decadent

noun

Definition of decadent (Entry 2 of 2)

1 literature : one of a group of late 19th century French and English writers tending toward artificial and unconventional subjects and subtilized style

2 : one that is marked by decay or decline : one that is decadent (see decadent entry 1 sense 2)

Other Words from decadent Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about decadent

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Did You Know?

To be decadent is to be in the process of decay, so a powerful nation may be said to be in a decadent stage if its power is fading. But the word is more often used to speak of moral decay. Ever since the Roman empire, we've tended to link Rome's fall to the moral decay of its ruling class, who indulged in extreme luxuries and unwholesome pleasures while providing the public with cruel spectacles such as the slaughter of the gladiators. But not everyone agrees on what moral decadence looks like (or even how it might have hastened the fall of Rome), though most people think it involves too many sensual pleasures—as, for instance, among the French and English poets and artists of the 1880s and ʼ90s called the Decadents. These days, for some reason, people have decided decadent is the way to describe rich chocolate cakes.

Examples of decadent in a Sentence

Adjective

The book condemns some of society's wealthiest members as decadent fools. a wealthy and decadent lifestyle a decadent hotel room, complete with a hot tub We relaxed in decadent luxury.

Noun

avant-garde artists who were scorned by the bourgeoisie as talentless decadents a decadent who squandered her once considerable family fortune

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Another dessert, like frosted chocolate cake, would have required special ingredients and was viewed as too decadent for the clientele, Mr. O’Connor said. — Corinne Ramey, WSJ, "Who Serves the Best Holiday Carrot Cake? Hint: It Has a Captive Audience," 25 Dec. 2018 The gelato shop serves some seriously decadent flavors, including chocolate Belgian brownie, salted caramel, and toasted pecan. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "Hallmark's 'A Gingerbread Romance' Was Filmed in the Most Romantic City," 16 Dec. 2018 Most compelling of all is the book’s portrait of a decadent Manhattan that shimmers with glamour, but has something rotten at its core. — Constance Grady, Vox, "The 16 best books I read in 2018," 21 Dec. 2018 Levain Bakery, New York City and Wainscott, N.Y. Levain Bakery’s moist, decadent cookies are reason enough to get out of bed in the morning. — Fox News, "Best bakeries in America," 25 Feb. 2016 These decadent cookies go well with a variety of ice cream flavors. — The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Homemade Fudgy Ice Cream Sandwiches," 13 July 2015 And though our pick for the best monitor has since been bestowed on the even more decadent (and pricey) $2,000 Acer Predator X27, this Samsung display is still a stunner. — Ian Paul, PCWorld, "Samsung's decadent, ultra-fast CHG70 FreeSync 2 HDR monitor just hit its lowest price yet," 12 Oct. 2018 Even the sides are decadent—the potatoes are cooked in beef drippings and topped with hollandaise—though there are fresh fruit and vegetable juices to balance things out a bit. — Sandra Ramani, Condé Nast Traveler, "10 Best Brunch Places in Dublin," 11 July 2018 Ultimately, this hefty morning entree may be nearly as decadent as its classic inspiration, even with its cauliflower transformation. — Craig Laban, Philly.com, "A cauliflower rethink for an indulgent breakfast classic," 5 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

New York has some significance for Saint Laurent — Yves threw a grand party here in the ’70s for Opium — and the city’s decadents of that era, from Lou Reed to the Studio 54 crowd, inspired Mr. Vaccarello’s new collection. — Matthew Schneier, New York Times, "If He Can Make It Here, He’ll Make It Anywhere," 7 June 2018 Wear a shiny solid one under your louchest suit (with or without a silk tie) or slip into a decadent, loose-fitting patterned one with, well, anything. — The Editors Of Gq Style, GQ, "Why the Silk Shirt Should Be Your Go-To Summer Style Move," 5 June 2018 Special for this year is a new array of decadent dipped berries with chocolate chips and pink shimmer sugar. — Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, "Give moms what they want more of this Mother's Day with these life hacks," 7 May 2018 Insider tip: The mac-nut cinnamon roll, dripping with icing ($5.25) is a decadent must for sweetaholics. — Rosemary Mcclure, latimes.com, "In Kauai, where to eat for cheap: 20 places to chow down for $20," 15 Apr. 2018 So eat your feelings with La Tur, a decadent, almost molten cheese that takes care of you and makes any bad day go away. — Alyse Whitney, Bon Appetit, "10 Valentine’s Day Pairings for Cheeses and Cheesy Rom-Coms," 12 Feb. 2018 Go for a Swim Jumping in a pool or a swimming hole during the rain simply feels decadent, like being in an outdoor spa. — Sami Emory, Outside Online, "Embrace the Rain," 27 Mar. 2018 Food specialties: Georgacopoulos said besides being known for the complimentary doughnuts, Juicy-O takes pride in their pancakes (classic buttermilk or decadent like the maple bacon bourbon) and savory dishes. — Jane Donahue, Naperville Sun, "Treat yourself to Juicy-O, including free doughnuts," 13 Mar. 2018 All four beers were worth the trip to Rocklin, especially the decadent yet drinkable imperial stouts, although Gallanosa is also considered a master of IPAs. — Daniel Barnes, sacbee, "One of San Diego's best brewers has moved to Sacramento. Here's why | The Sacramento Bee," 2 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'decadent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.