1
as in weak
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
a degenerate society in which people had no sense of being citizens, only consumers
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2
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
a movie about a gang of degenerate drug dealers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pervert
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
a degenerate who is uninterested in anything but his own gratification
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
over the years the community-minded organization degenerated into a club for loafers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degenerate
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Prisons are filled with the faithful and the daily news reports are overflowing with reprehensible, criminal, degenerate theists.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Lacey Rose,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
What should be a gripping thriller centered on new, uncharted technology and questionable loyalties degenerates into a jumbled mess.
—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
27 Dec. 2025
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Floaters are most common in people over age 50 because that’s when the vitreous gel typically begins to degenerate, a process called vitreous syneresis, Starr said.
—
Cathy Nelson,
Health,
13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for degenerate
Adjective
German Expressionism and Surrealism, deemed degenerate by Nazis and Soviets alike, show up in stylized figuration, spatial distortion, and a dreamlike atmosphere.
—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Prisons are filled with the faithful and the daily news reports are overflowing with reprehensible, criminal, degenerate theists.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
Ike Barinholtz may play degenerates well, but, off screen, the writer, comedian and star is something of a trivia savant.
—
Lacey Rose,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
What should be a gripping thriller centered on new, uncharted technology and questionable loyalties degenerates into a jumbled mess.
—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
Murderous encounters dating to the Risdon Cove settlement eventually degenerated into the Black War (1804–30), a period of great physical conflict between the Aboriginal population and European settlers.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Floaters are most common in people over age 50 because that’s when the vitreous gel typically begins to degenerate, a process called vitreous syneresis, Starr said.
—
Cathy Nelson,
Health,
13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for degenerate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerate
Adjective
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But lingering high ticket prices combined with weaker teams might mean sparse attendance.
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Tokyo wants to appear to be fighting a weak yen, while welcoming it in private.
Adjective
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Johnson County He was arrested last August on charges of abuse of office and corrupt influence.
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The kidnappings have been linked to run-ins with drug cartels and corrupt government officials, while there have also been cases involving young women who worked at the country’s many factories.
Noun
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Nora Ephron for depressed perverts.
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You are being spied on by a pervert.
Verb
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For the decades after the historic Old Soldiers’ Home was shut down in the 1970s, the two-thirds of the campus north of Wilshire Boulevard remained a collection of vacant deteriorating buildings and residential programs for physical and mental health recovery.
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However, the strategy itself has been flawed, often prioritizing roads in excellent condition while allowing moderately deteriorating streets to fail completely.
Adjective
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Discard any that look dead or decayed.
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The farm buildings on the property—long verandas, shearing sheds, and concrete kennels—are old and decayed, remnants from long before the group showed up.
Adjective
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Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study.
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According to the company, QTT enables highly secure and resilient position, navigation, and timing (PNT) services, helping maintain accurate timing and synchronization even when traditional GPS and radio-frequency signals are unavailable, degraded, or intentionally jammed.
Verb
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Visitors descend 168 steps to a spectacular view of Sable Falls’ 75-foot cascade.
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Hundreds of people descended on 52nd Street in West Philadelphia Sunday for the city's annual Juneteenth Parade.
Adjective
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BornToStandOut Drunk Lovers Eau de Parfum with Amber Probably the boldest and most decadent of the bunch, Drunk Lovers is a unisex option that takes a moodier turn with its earthy, woody profile.
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Summer is the best time of year to make this decadent baked cheese appetizer, when Southern peaches are in their prime.
Cite this Entry
“Degenerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerate. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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