1
as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
the soft, effete society that marked the final years of the Roman empire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
the outdoor adventure program takes effete youths and turns them into hardy campers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weakened
lacking strength of will or character
the governor is too effete to take on the powerful special interests that really run this state
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in feminine
of or relating to a man who has or displays qualities traditionally considered more suitable for women
wore a slightly more effete style of clothing in those days
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of effete
In this view, other European immigrants were unsuitable for civilizing the frontier—Southern Europeans were effete and decadent while Eastern European Jews were hapless in the woods and better-suited to urban, commercial spaces.
—
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2025
Jesus Christ’s preaching of love and kindness and forgiveness is seen as weak and effete.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2025
This is bad enough, but then there’s the wide gulf of sensibility that separates Rock and Martin; the latter’s effete irony just doesn’t gel with Rock’s political trenchancy.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
The Portnoy in the pizza videos often has a preening, fussy, almost effete quality that complicates his butch self-image.
—Willy Staley, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for effete
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2025
Jesus Christ’s preaching of love and kindness and forgiveness is seen as weak and effete.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2025
This is bad enough, but then there’s the wide gulf of sensibility that separates Rock and Martin; the latter’s effete irony just doesn’t gel with Rock’s political trenchancy.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
The Portnoy in the pizza videos often has a preening, fussy, almost effete quality that complicates his butch self-image.
—Willy Staley, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for effete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effete
Adjective
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Jimmy Fallon helped all the degenerate gamblers out there choose a Kentucky Derby winner by having puppies (who each represented a Derby horse) run to kibble.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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Be classy, yet still maintain some of your degenerate tendencies.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the rest of the NBA is widely expected to be more competitive next season — from the bottom tier, where anti-tanking regulations and a weaker draft class should curb teams’ intentional losing, to the upper echelons, where Oklahoma City and San Antonio stand tall.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
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Conditions change quickly, signals conflict with each other, and weak assumptions tend to get exposed without much delay.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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In babies, the measles virus can also cause a rare condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE — when a weakened form of the disease remains behind even after symptoms seem to clear.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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The city stressed children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to harmful bacteria.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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Everyone has to play their role, the masculine and feminine.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
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Hygiene products are included, too, for deodorant, feminine needs and other concerns.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
La beauté bizarre of the Lobster Boy is decadent.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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The fresh oranges garnishing the top of this decadent layer cake top off a citrus confection that practically begs for a second slice.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
So, in retrospect, [the entire Lightning project] looked pretty feeble.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
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His visit also comes as the committee stalls on advancing Casey Means, Kennedy’s nominee for surgeon general, over her lack of medical practice experience and feeble answers on the importance of vaccination.—
Daniel Payne,
STAT,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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All German Pilsner malt, super soft water profile like that in a Czech pale lager, and 100% US-grown hops with a touch of flaked corn.—
Blaine Callahan,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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And inside the adjacent soft pretzel shop, two workers leaned over on the counter, watching videos on a phone to pass the time.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
One of the earliest of American masculinity influencers was President Theodore Roosevelt, who touted his own transformation from a timid, effeminate man – local presses mocked him in his early career – to a rugged outdoorsman.—
Miriam Eve Mora,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
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Throughout the 1900s, and even into the ‘80s and ’90s, women often were encouraged to be more effeminate, and male counterparts were told to embrace their masculinity.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Effete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effete. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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