as in perverts
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
a degenerate who is uninterested in anything but his own gratification
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value
over the years the community-minded organization degenerated into a club for loafers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degenerates
Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
In all vertebrates, the thymus degenerates very rapidly with age.
—Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
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
If this group of hardened degenerates was able to enjoy the action at this level, who, exactly, are the spiritual victims of sports betting?
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Once Gacy is caught, the media runs with the details — all those bodies crammed in that crawlspace, some of them buried in trenches Gacy made his employees dig out — and paints his victims as runaways or degenerates who put themselves in danger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
The product exploded, generating trillions and minting a new class of crypto degenerates who were willing to take massive risks that, occasionally, resulted in millions.
—Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
In all vertebrates, the thymus degenerates very rapidly with age.
—Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
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
If this group of hardened degenerates was able to enjoy the action at this level, who, exactly, are the spiritual victims of sports betting?
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Once Gacy is caught, the media runs with the details — all those bodies crammed in that crawlspace, some of them buried in trenches Gacy made his employees dig out — and paints his victims as runaways or degenerates who put themselves in danger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Volume 1 about a troubled pregnant woman who accepts an invite to a dinner party which degenerates into a bloody and demented nightmare.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerates
Noun
-
Nora Ephron for depressed perverts.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2026
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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
Verb
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Meetings grow tense, and communication deteriorates.—
Niurys Robaina,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
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There’s less maintenance and less investment in them, so the individual property deteriorates.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Moments later, chaos — and an army of camera-toting, masked glamazons — descends, capturing her every move from countless angles.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
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The psychological horror film starring Chiwetel Ejiofor is about a furniture store owner who descends into his own heart of darkness in his shop.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
Verb
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That is the moment that everything crumbles for Rachel.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
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Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This worsens the inflammatory response to the initial infection, according to Fleming, who was not involved in the study.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
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As the economic and social situation worsens, Cubans have organized daily protests in various parts of the island.—
Sarah Moreno
June 5,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Verb
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That’s down to the 3D model producing a little less warming for a brighter Sun, the expectation that CO2 declines more slowly over time, and a slight expansion of the CO2 range believed to be survivable by plants.—
Scott K. Johnson,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
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Scientists found that a protein called NOX4 naturally declines with age and inactivity.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degenerates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerates. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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