1
as in weak
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
a degenerate society in which people had no sense of being citizens, only consumers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
a movie about a gang of degenerate drug dealers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pervert
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
a degenerate who is uninterested in anything but his own gratification
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to deteriorate
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
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 degenerate
Zachary Siegel, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2024
The result is a book laden with put-downs of the English working class, who are cast in eugenicist terms as a degenerate race.
—Lennard J. Davis, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2024
Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2024
There’s the medieval brutality: Gómez was a homicidal degenerate who collected torture methods instead of stamps.
—Tim Padgett, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2024
Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Mehmet Oz, who would supervise Medicare and Medicaid, was a respected heart surgeon before degenerating into snake-oil television salesmanship.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for degenerate
Adjective
Or have his years in finance scrambled his brain and turned him into a degenerate gambler, both at the office and outside it?
—Zachary Siegel, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2024
The result is a book laden with put-downs of the English working class, who are cast in eugenicist terms as a degenerate race.
—Lennard J. Davis, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2024
Noun
On The Challenge: Battle of the Eras, these now-geriatric degenerates will duke it out for the only prize worth fighting for: making their kids proud.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2024
There’s the medieval brutality: Gómez was a homicidal degenerate who collected torture methods instead of stamps.
—Tim Padgett, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2024
Verb
This latest performance degenerated into a litany of basic defensive errors, as illustrated by all three of Brentford’s first-half goals.
—Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Mehmet Oz, who would supervise Medicare and Medicaid, was a respected heart surgeon before degenerating into snake-oil television salesmanship.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for degenerate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerate
Adjective
-
Global Blue's weak February European shopper data released on March 5 did indeed work as a catalyst.—
Ganesh Rao,
CNBC,
3 June 2025
-
In addition to a weak critical reception, the film became mired in controversy due to political comments made by lead actress Rachel Zegler in the run-up to its release; the casting of a Latina actress as the titular character; and the use of CGI to reimagine the seven dwarfs.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, Evans’ plotline as the corrupt Reverend Drew essentially runs parallel to Qualley’s and the lack of intersection is a curious oversight.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
-
In a later scene, Lamia narrowly escapes the claws of a similarly corrupt and ill-intentioned predator, using her wits and sharpened intuition.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Just when things are looking up — a haughty British couple leaves this daughter of Oxfordshire a handsome tip — the dinner pervert turns up for his morning coffee.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Outside the courthouse on Friday, Toner’s lawyer made a brief statement about his pervert client.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
But the age and condition of the fleet could deteriorate further, even with an infusion of cash to buy new equipment, because the wait times are so long.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
-
Fiscal Policy Without exception, the fiscal position of large countries, including the United States, as measured by government debt relative to GDP, deteriorated due to the impact of spending during the pandemic.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
Back staining happens when indigo dye that is released from degraded cellulose during these processes redeposits on the white portions of the garment.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
28 May 2025
-
Maltz served as the lead author on a meta-analysis of how soil inoculation with different species of mycorrhizal fungi can affect degraded ecosystems.—
Lauren Oster,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 May 2025
Verb
-
The intense setup here is fairly straightforward as these types of sci-fi mystery shows go, with Buenos Aires residents going about their evenings when a sudden nightmarish snowfall descends over the metropolis, killing millions indiscriminately.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
23 May 2025
-
The American entrepreneur was one of the five passengers killed on June 18, 2023, while the compact submersible descended en route to the wreckage of the Titanic, and Rush is now in all the talking heads' crosshairs as the villain of this tragic story.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Bottom Line Picking a decadent dark chocolate that can also offer health benefits is totally doable.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
26 May 2025
-
Tasters kept coming back to it for its delicate balance of light and buoyant tang with creamy and decadent texture.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
Each year, about 48 million people in the U.S. get sick with foodborne illnesses, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Stephanie Armour,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
-
The best defense remains up-to-date vaccination, testing when symptomatic, masking in crowded indoor spaces, and staying home when sick.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degenerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerate. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share