as in perverts
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
a degenerate who is uninterested in anything but his own gratification
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in deteriorates
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 degenerates
Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
In all vertebrates, the thymus degenerates very rapidly with age.
—Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Ike Barinholtz may play degenerates well, but, off screen, the writer, comedian and star is something of a trivia savant.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026
What should be a gripping thriller centered on new, uncharted technology and questionable loyalties degenerates into a jumbled mess.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025
If this group of hardened degenerates was able to enjoy the action at this level, who, exactly, are the spiritual victims of sports betting?
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Once Gacy is caught, the media runs with the details — all those bodies crammed in that crawlspace, some of them buried in trenches Gacy made his employees dig out — and paints his victims as runaways or degenerates who put themselves in danger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
The product exploded, generating trillions and minting a new class of crypto degenerates who were willing to take massive risks that, occasionally, resulted in millions.
—Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
In all vertebrates, the thymus degenerates very rapidly with age.
—Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Ike Barinholtz may play degenerates well, but, off screen, the writer, comedian and star is something of a trivia savant.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026
What should be a gripping thriller centered on new, uncharted technology and questionable loyalties degenerates into a jumbled mess.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025
If this group of hardened degenerates was able to enjoy the action at this level, who, exactly, are the spiritual victims of sports betting?
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Once Gacy is caught, the media runs with the details — all those bodies crammed in that crawlspace, some of them buried in trenches Gacy made his employees dig out — and paints his victims as runaways or degenerates who put themselves in danger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Volume 1 about a troubled pregnant woman who accepts an invite to a dinner party which degenerates into a bloody and demented nightmare.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerates
Noun
-
Nora Ephron for depressed perverts.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Also, what many now interpret as Kubrick’s exposé of elite perverts was, in fact, mostly Schnitzler’s doing.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
When hospitals operate under extreme and unpredictable demand spikes, patient safety deteriorates.—
Eugene Litvak,
STAT,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Haldea cautioned that the secondary market could struggle to absorb a large wave of redemptions if investor sentiment deteriorates sharply.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the summer air thickens with diffused sunlight and harsh humidity, a psychological fog descends on our young protagonist.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
And water aerobics for senior women descends into a bizarre request.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The song was inspired by surviving a toxic relationship, and then finding a true-hearted love that crumbles emotional walls.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Distress could spread to countries beyond the Gulf if dire conditions prompt residents to flee across borders and infrastructure damage worsens a global oil shock, analysts said.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In this case, your sweat is wasted and actually worsens the situation by failing to cool your body and contributing to dehydration.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jeannot is not wired to jump anybody who declines an invitation.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Six out of the 10 top richest people in the world have experienced wealth declines between $30 and $60 billion this calendar year, totalling over $255 billion.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degenerates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerates. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
