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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun degeneration differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of degeneration are decadence, decline, and deterioration. While all these words mean "the falling from a higher to a lower level in quality, character, or vitality," degeneration stresses physical, intellectual, or especially moral retrogression.

the degeneration of their youthful idealism into cynicism

When can decadence be used instead of degeneration?

Although the words decadence and degeneration have much in common, decadence presupposes a reaching and passing the peak of development and implies a turn downward with a consequent loss in vitality or energy.

cited love of luxury as a sign of cultural decadence

How are the words decline and decadence related as synonyms of degeneration?

Decline differs from decadence in suggesting a more markedly downward direction and greater momentum as well as more obvious evidence of deterioration.

the meteoric decline of his career after the scandal

In what contexts can deterioration take the place of degeneration?

The words deterioration and degeneration are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deterioration implies generally the impairment of value or usefulness.

the deterioration of the house through neglect

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of degeneration And their medial knee cartilage showed less worsening, suggesting slower cartilage degeneration. New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2025 According to Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, progressive degeneration of brain tissue in people with CTE includes the buildup of an abnormal protein called tau in a pattern that distinguishes it from other diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Jimmy Golen, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025 An autopsy must reveal evidence of tissue degeneration and abnormal clumps of certain proteins around blood vessels in the brain. Shreya Srinivasan, NBC news, 29 July 2025 Interestingly, a combination of two cancer drugs stood out: Research in mice showed that this combination reduced brain degeneration and restored memory, according to findings recently published in Cell, pointing towards a potent treatment path never considered before. Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degeneration
Noun
  • Whitney Portal will observe sharp deterioration in conditions with extreme danger to hikers and campers unprepared for the winter weather.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Casualties among Gaza’s police force during the two-year conflict have contributed to a deterioration in security, with looting of aid becoming commonplace.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That was obviously the weakening of your internal khozayka.
    Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Despite its weakening power, heavy rain associated with the storm has already stretched as far north as the Desert Southwest.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In her article, Jane reminds us that meat consumption is responsible for animal suffering and environmental degradation.
    Lisa Wade, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Overall, the most prevalent cause of bird population declines is habitat loss and degradation, driven especially by agricultural expansion and intensification and logging, the IUCN said.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That research has also linked ultraprocessed foods to health concerns like obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline and cardiovascular disease.
    Alice Callahan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • These participants tended to report good physical health and strong social relationships, but their testing revealed small declines in memory and emotional awareness.
    Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The setting catches America at a point of transition between an era of middle-class prosperity and the economic decay that was on the horizon.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Some nuclei will be stable against decays, others will undergo one or more decays (radioactively) before producing a stable end-product.
    Big Think, Big Think, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Decades of mismanagement, underinvestment and corruption have strained the power grid of Iraq, which is OPEC's second-largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia.
    Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Madagascar has seen weeks of protests, initially spurred by shortages of water and power but now encompassing deeper unhappiness over corruption, inflation, and high unemployment.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Presenting their findings in a lengthy declination memo, the prosecutors explicitly mentioned the two other investigations to bolster their recommendation that probable cause does not exist to charge Comey, according to sources familiar with the contents of the memo.
    Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2025
  • On those three dates, variations in the moon's position relative to Earth's equator — particularly its declination — can influence tidal forces that subtly affect Earth's rotation rate.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Degeneration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degeneration. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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