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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun decadence differ from other similar words?

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

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

When could degeneration be used to replace decadence?

The words degeneration and decadence can be used in similar contexts, but degeneration stresses physical, intellectual, or especially moral retrogression.

the degeneration of their youthful idealism into cynicism

When might deterioration be a better fit than decadence?

The words deterioration and decadence 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 decadence Just like buttermilk in biscuits, cottage cheese can lend some extra tang and decadence to many comfort foods like lasagnas and casseroles. Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2025 There’s a decadence to the flavor profile, and the higher (but not too high) proof adds a bit of heat to complement all those rich, creamy notes. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2025 As for textures and materials that pair well with the soothing paint color, Woelfel suggests organic, earthy textures, warm wood tones, and gold metallic accents to add a hint of decadence. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2025 By the end of the 1960s, what remained of the Western counterculture had turned increasingly to violence, decadence, and narcosis as the political and cultural utopia promised in the previous decade had begun to collapse. Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for decadence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decadence
Noun
  • Initial jobless claims indicate only a minimal pickup in layoffs and/or deterioration in labor conditions at present, a positive dynamic.
    Jeffrey Schulze, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The largest member of the grass family, bamboo is combustible, susceptible to deterioration and weaker in rain, raising legitimate questions about its durability, Arup’s Ho said.
    Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For engineers, all this means coupling MLOps with DevOps by integrating retraining triggers, model validation steps and performance degradation alerts directly into deployment pipelines.
    Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • High-speed charging generates substantial thermal energy, which can accelerate cell degradation, reduce the battery’s overall lifespan, and in rare cases, lead to safety issues like thermal runaway.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Chinese authorities said that headline CPI had slipped into negative territory largely due to the high-base last year and lower food prices, while crediting the narrower decline in producer prices in part to Beijing's efforts in regulating the excessive price competition.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Apple—which topped the World’s Best Companies list in 2024—is notably absent this year due to a decline in revenue from 2022 to 2024, which many Wall Street analysts have postulated could be due to the company falling behind on AI.
    Charlotte Hu, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The tech giant has built in a feature called Memory Integrity Enforcement, which is designed to stop attacks targeting memory corruption bugs, often exploited by spyware developers and phone forensic tools used by law enforcement, TechCrunch reports.
    Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The rise is coupled with major political shifts in the country following the election of President Bernardo Arévalo, who vowed to fight corruption, tackle inequality, and rectify the discrimination against Indigenous Peoples after years of democratic erosion and corruption.
    Simmone Shah, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • Where corporate criminal investigations resolve without filing any criminal charges (through a declination or deferred prosecution agreement), companies should expect victims to still voice their views loudly to the Justice Department and beyond.
    Lisa Zornberg, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • Instead, computers became powerful enough that AIs can be churned out by gradient descent, without any human needing to understand the cognitions that grow inside.
    Nate Soares, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
  • My descent into bodybuilding hasn’t always been accepted warmly by the people in my life.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decadence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decadence. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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