degeneration

noun

de·​gen·​er·​a·​tion di-ˌje-nə-ˈrā-shən 

ˌdē-

1

: degenerate (see degenerate entry 1) condition

2

: a lowering of effective power, vitality, or essential quality to an enfeebled and worsened kind or state

the country's degeneration into chaos

… enacts the degeneration of politics into televisual entertainment …

—Linda Holt

3

: intellectual, moral, or artistic decline

Many of her stories show the degeneration of a principled person into a lethal one …

—Susannah Clapp

… argue that the tradition has radically devolved, and that books like "The Kiss," by Kathryn Harrison, represent the degeneration of a once ennobled form.

—Deborah E. McDowell

4

biology

a

: progressive deterioration of physical characters from a level representing the norm of earlier generations or forms

b

: deterioration of a tissue or an organ in which its function is diminished or its structure is impaired

a degeneration of cartilage

Synonyms

• decadence
• declension
• declination
• decline
• degeneracy
• degradation
• dégringolade
• descent
• deterioration
• devolution
• downfall
• downgrade
• ebb
• eclipse
• fall

Choose the Right Synonym for degeneration

deterioration, degeneration, decadence, decline mean the falling from a higher to a lower level in quality, character, or vitality.

deterioration implies generally the impairment of value or usefulness.

the deterioration of the house through neglect

degeneration stresses physical, intellectual, or especially moral retrogression.

the degeneration of their youthful idealism into cynicism

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

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

Examples of degeneration in a Sentence

the organization's degeneration from a movement for political reform to just another political party

the troubling degeneration of his memory since he reached middle age

Recent Examples on the Web

Our study revealed that the supergene shows only minimal signs of degeneration. —Donna L. Maney, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025

The virus spreads through contaminated food, water, or direct contact with an infected individual, attacking nerve cells in the spinal cord and leading to muscle weakness, degeneration, and paralysis. —Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024

Excess Fat in Thigh Muscles Could Increase the Risk of Knee Osteoarthritis Researchers noted that the excess fat within thigh muscle tissue might add to participants’ risk of knee osteoarthritis, or degeneration in the knee joints that is more common among people who are overweight or have obesity. —Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Dec. 2024

The effect is particularly pronounced for cells that are very energy-hungry, like brain cells – causing the gradual degeneration seen with Parkinson’s disease. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see degenerate entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing degeneration

• age-related macular degeneration
• macular degeneration

Rhymes for degeneration

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

degeneration

noun

de·​gen·​er·​a·​tion di-ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən 

ˌdē-

1

: a lowering of power, vitality, or essential quality to a feebler and poorer kind or state

2

a

: a change in a tissue or an organ resulting in lessened activity or usefulness

kidney degeneration in old age

b

: a condition marked by degeneration of physical parts (as organs) present in related forms

tapeworms exhibit extreme degeneration

Medical Definition

degeneration

noun

de·​gen·​er·​a·​tion di-ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən, ˌdē- 

1

: intellectual or moral decline tending toward dissolution of character or integrity : a progressive worsening of personal adjustment

2

a

: progressive deterioration of physical characters from a level representing the norm of earlier generations or forms : regression of the morphology of a group or kind of organism toward a simpler less highly organized state

parasitism leads to degeneration

b

: deterioration of a tissue or an organ in which its vitality is diminished or its structure impaired

especially : deterioration in which specialized cells are replaced by less specialized cells (as in fibrosis or in malignancies) or in which cells are functionally impaired (as by deposition of abnormal matter in the tissue)