as in deteriorated
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as in worsened
to become worse or of less value
over the years the community-minded organization degenerated into a club for loafers
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Recent Examples of degenerated
Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Last fall, a Krousty Sabaïdi giveaway promoted by popular French influencer Fares Salvatore, who has more than 868,000 followers on TikTok, degenerated into mayhem when the call-out attracted 3,000 teenagers.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
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
After a police operation in Rio de Janeiro in October degenerated into a chaotic shootout, leading to more than 120 deaths, Brazilian civil society groups reacted in horror.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Our national political and cultural discourse, especially online, has degenerated into a permanent fever dream.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
The bear bowled Propst over backward, and the encounter degenerated into lopsided hand-to-fang combat.
—John McCoy, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2025
Verb
Macron’s highest aspirations to, as a modern Talleyrand, inject himself and solve global issues such as Ukraine, Africa’s Sahel, Syria, Lebanon, or Iran have fallen short, degenerated into petty feuds, or backfired.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Last fall, a Krousty Sabaïdi giveaway promoted by popular French influencer Fares Salvatore, who has more than 868,000 followers on TikTok, degenerated into mayhem when the call-out attracted 3,000 teenagers.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
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
After a police operation in Rio de Janeiro in October degenerated into a chaotic shootout, leading to more than 120 deaths, Brazilian civil society groups reacted in horror.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Our national political and cultural discourse, especially online, has degenerated into a permanent fever dream.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
The bear bowled Propst over backward, and the encounter degenerated into lopsided hand-to-fang combat.
—John McCoy, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerated
Adjective
-
Crews will spend several days rebuilding and paving each section before moving on to the next, according to a press release, and the project will remove deteriorated pavement before the application of new asphalt.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
29 May 2026
-
But the challenges are equally steep, ranging from deteriorated infrastructure to legal uncertainty and lingering concerns over contract stability after past nationalizations.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Covid pandemic worsened its financial troubles.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
-
Two worsened too quickly and the hospital lacked supply for the others, the researchers reported.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
As Liam Tharme explains, the strategy employed by Slot at Anfield had faltered badly, if not crumbled completely.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
Ivar flattened Psycho Clown in the corner before Psycho crumbled prematurely.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pumps and lift systems can easily become corroded.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
-
Replace Rusted/corroded Storage Shelf.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
In video posted from Kathmandu on Wednesday, Thrall said that the Polish climber was battling frostbite and had descended with the Sherpa guide Thrall was climbing with, leaving Hillary Dawa and him to descend together.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
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British climber Chris Thrall, who had descended with Dawa Sherpa from high on the mountain, said the guide stopped briefly to rest during the difficult descent but never caught back up with the group.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
By gaining new traits, these altered organisms might pose a novel invasion threat to Earth, if introduced through the transfer and insecure containment of contaminated samples.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
3 June 2026
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Produce grown using contaminated water may also pose exposure risks.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Those who declined frequently faced intense criticism from media outlets and activists.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
Major events such as Hamilton and an Issa Rae show were swiftly canceled, staff departures staggered departments and drained the organization of expertise, and ticket sales drastically declined.—
Janay Kingsberry,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Once guided by stars across the Empty Quarter, Emiratis now live under one of the world’s most light-polluted skies, prompting new dark-sky policies and growing concern over disappearing night.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
-
The emergency overflow meant untreated water and polluted stormwater discharged directly into the river.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degenerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerated. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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