effete

adjective

i-ˈfēt How to pronounce effete (audio)
Definition of effetenext
1
as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit the soft, effete society that marked the final years of the Roman empire

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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

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 effete 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 And there’s an intriguing romance between Nancy and Hamish (James Musgrave), a slightly effete soldier whose lack of commitment, and indeed libido, suggests her taste in men might not be as sharp as her wit. — Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 17 June 2025 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 Cutaways to bits involving sad-sack local cop Maccarico (Marco Bonadei) interviewing kooky characters like an effete server (Milutin Dapcevic) at Taco King and Oreste getting a dressing down from his ex-wife, Arabella’s Mother (Margareth Made), just feel like mildly amusing filler. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for effete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effete
  1. degenerate
  2. weak
  3. weakened
  4. feminine
  5. decadent
  6. feeble
  7. soft
  8. effeminate
Adjective
  • After delivery, the umbilical arteries constrict and degenerate.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • As her life begins overlapping with the events of the film, she’s confronted with her own degenerate desires, as the Nazis would call them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Definition of degenerate
Adjective
  • Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.
    — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • The bacterium can also lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication that is more common in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, according to the release.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
  • While anyone can get sick, young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2026
Definition of weakened
Adjective
  • For a dainty, feminine knee-high boots outfit with a twist, try out a boho dress with black, burgundy, or brown leather boots.
    — Abby Morgan Lebet, Glamour, 6 July 2026
  • In floriography, the Victorian language of flowers, Walshe notes that pale pink sweet peas represent pure happiness, while Daucus (Queen Anne’s Lace) symbolizes feminine grace, delicacy and sanctuary.
    — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
Definition of feminine
Adjective
  • Vanilla wafer cookies provide a fun and unexpected crust that holds up decadent, creamy layers of chocolate and vanilla.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 5 July 2026
  • The book-length poem, set at a private party, explores the decadent lifestyles associated with the movie industry in California in the 1920s.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
Definition of decadent
Adjective
  • The gags are both belabored and feeble.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 June 2026
  • Jolted by a feeble office market, a growing number of developers are considering ways to convert their office properties to other uses, such as housing projects.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
Definition of feeble
Adjective
  • Play soft music to drown out fireworks blasts and give your pet something to do, like putting treats inside an interactive toy, to keep them calm and happy.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • This relaxed pick is incredibly soft, really cute, and surprisingly easy to style.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 3 July 2026
Definition of soft
Adjective
  • The term kothi applies to a broad category of people assigned male at birth who are effeminate to varying degrees and might engage in same-sex relationships, but do not live in separate communities.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
  • 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
Definition of effeminate

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effervescing
effete
effeteness
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Cite this Entry

“Effete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effete. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of effete for Spanish Speakers

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