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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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
Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Ammon did appear tempted to talk the walk in Portland, to become the Mormon cowboy philosopher king wandering a degenerate realm of an ailing Republic, but by now time was in extremely short supply.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024
David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2025
At another point, a surface-to-air missile takes out a passenger airliner, something that really happened — but the attack is as purposeless here as the tragic original event, other than to remind us that Valet, who surveys the wreckage for valuables, is a degenerate.
—Boris Fishman, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Zephyr Teachout, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
In the Pacific, meteorologists are watching to see how much rain the degenerating Tropical Storm Mario could carry into the San Diego region.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degenerate
Adjective
There was alarm at the prospect of hundreds of thousands of soldiers returning to the U.S. with such degenerate experience under their belts, and presumably spreading these habits among hitherto innocent American wives.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Ammon did appear tempted to talk the walk in Portland, to become the Mormon cowboy philosopher king wandering a degenerate realm of an ailing Republic, but by now time was in extremely short supply.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
This 24-hour dive near Uptown is for true degenerates looking to extend the party to unholy hours.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2025
At another point, a surface-to-air missile takes out a passenger airliner, something that really happened — but the attack is as purposeless here as the tragic original event, other than to remind us that Valet, who surveys the wreckage for valuables, is a degenerate.
—Boris Fishman, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
When leaders of any kind stop appealing to the common advantage and instead become motivated by self-interest, their government degenerates: Monarchy, for example, becomes tyranny, without so much as a handshake.
—Zephyr Teachout, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
In the Pacific, meteorologists are watching to see how much rain the degenerating Tropical Storm Mario could carry into the San Diego region.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degenerate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerate
Adjective
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The company attributed the decline to weak demand, shifting some shipments to Q4 and an unfavorable mix.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Nov. 2025
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It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems and pregnant women.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
Freep.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Lester fled, but Beau followed him, demanding the missing finger because without it, his corrupt past could come to light.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
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Congress was moved to act at the urging of the major pro leagues’ commissioners, who testified in 1991 that sports betting undermined the integrity of games and invited corrupt influences.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Gooneral’s attendees didn’t care that Malone was, from all available evidence, not a gooner at all but rather an unaffiliated, lone-wolf pervert.—
Daniel Kolitz,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Boiled down to a thoughtless pervert by the public, Six became one.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Data centers deteriorate rapidly, unlike the more durable infrastructure of canals, railroads, or even fiber-optic cables.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
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During an earnings call Wednesday, Lyons said Argentina’s deteriorating economic environment contributed to slowing growth and margin disappointment.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Of the 20 dead cats, eight were too decayed for a necropsy exam, which determines the cause of death of a dead animal and any associated diseases or injuries.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Aug. 2025
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The breakthrough came when researchers focused on coelomic fluid, the internal liquid surrounding the sea stars’ organs, rather than tissue from decayed specimens.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Previous studies relied on a process known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which amplifies small or degraded fragments of DNA, allowing scientists to analyze genetic material even from old or damaged organic matter.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
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For Capone, this high precedence of pinworm was incredibly surprising, given that the samples were over 1,000 years old and the DNA would have been highly degraded over such a long period of time.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Jones, who was a regular on the NBC sketch series from 2014 to 2019, was one of the dozens of former cast members who descended on Studio 8H for the epic evening.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Nov. 2025
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An avalanche of water descended through cracks in the ceiling of Brooklyn's Metropolitan Avenue/Lorimer Street station, forming pseudo waterfalls, according to Storyful.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Next, a creamy chocolate filling makes a decadent base for light and fluffy mousse.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
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This peanut butter, scotch, cream, and whole-egg cocktail is a decadent addition to home bar arsenal.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degenerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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