1
as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
social critics claimed that their culture had become decadent and weak
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
opponents of gambling casinos claim that gambling is a decadent form of entertainment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in luxurious
given to or marked by excessive gratification of one's desires
the impressionable heiress couldn't resist the decadent temptations of the jet-set life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pervert
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
avant-garde artists who were scorned by the bourgeoisie as talentless decadents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hedonist
a person whose life is devoted to luxury and sensual pleasures
a decadent who squandered her once considerable family fortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decadent
Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
The creamy, decadent dish has umami, sweet and savory notes and the plating is spectacular.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2025
Perhaps the only thing more decadent than a high-end steakhouse is a high-end steakhouse in Las Vegas.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Adjective
This cake had impressive floral designs, and beautiful pastel colors, and the buttercream itself was decadent and true-to-form.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
The creamy, decadent dish has umami, sweet and savory notes and the plating is spectacular.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Noun
Adding to the decadent painting’s lore, Alma-Tadema allegedly had thousands of roses shipped from France to his London studio when completing the work.
—Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2025
Perhaps the only thing more decadent than a high-end steakhouse is a high-end steakhouse in Las Vegas.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decadent
Adjective
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For reasons still not wholly understood, these ultradense objects—each about the mass of our star squeezed into a bizarre, city-sized ball of degenerate quantum matter—undergo starquakes in which the material on the surface shifts a bit like in an earthly tremor.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
22 Jan. 2026
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The conceit is probably most similar to Mark Monroe’s Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose, a four-part HBO film that the baseball career hits leader and reluctantly admitted degenerate gambler hoped would reopen establishment doors and set him up for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Rooting out corrupt generals and criminal networks could take months, or even years.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Certainly, part of the way to improve Venezuela and to improve the Western Hemisphere and improve the lives of Americans is to get their very corrupt 25 years in decline, oil industry back going again.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Her nursery is luxurious with cushions and toys, soft rugs and sofas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
In terms of places to stay, the region’s revival has been led by the arrival of Fowlescombe Farm, a 450-acre regenerative retreat near the wilds of Dartmoor featuring 10 luxurious suites housed in timeworn stone barns and a Victorian farmhouse, decorated in a sleek but sensitive contemporary style.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Then, about refocusing our attention on the challenges ahead, like pervert incentives and algorithms that aren’t in line with human flourishing.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Also, what many now interpret as Kubrick’s exposé of elite perverts was, in fact, mostly Schnitzler’s doing.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
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This is the burger for hedonists (particularly those who have time to take a nap right after).—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Dec. 2025
-
The ambush is delivered courtesy of the Mangkwan Clan, a cult of kamikaze hedonists who rejected Eywa after a volcano reduced their corner of Pandora to ash, but the RDA is happy to seize on the chaos and launch their final attack on the Metkayina’s oceanic stronghold.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Scarf critics accuse the accessory—and by extension, its wearers—of being effete or affected.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
1 Dec. 2025
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What we’re left with is an effete description that exists for itself and doesn’t illuminate the character.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The company acknowledges that direct recycling will not replace chemical methods entirely, particularly for mixed or degraded end-of-life batteries.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Bamberger, often regarded as a maverick, proved that degraded land could be revived.—
Lana Ferguson,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The two share a vampy, sexy, sensual stylistic code.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
4 Jan. 2026
-
The result is eveningwear that feels sensual, refined and effortlessly modern.—
Alex Badia,
Footwear News,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decadent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decadent. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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