degenerates 1 of 2

noun

plural of degenerate
as in perverts
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard a degenerate who is uninterested in anything but his own gratification

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degenerates

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of degenerate
as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value over the years the community-minded organization degenerated into a club for loafers

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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
Noun
In all vertebrates, the thymus degenerates very rapidly with age. — Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026 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 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 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 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
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
  1. perverts
  2. deteriorates
  3. descends
  4. crumbles
  5. worsens
  6. declines
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
Definition of perverts
Verb
  • The delivery was a glimmer of good news in a living situation that deteriorates by the day.
    — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026
Definition of deteriorates
Verb
  • This is the leader who descends into the weeds, confirming every detail, not because the situation demands it but because something inside needs reassurance.
    — Karyn Gallant, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The virtual oar-yanking celebration in a baseball atmosphere was one of those weird juxtapositions that seem to get fostered whenever a World Cup fanbase descends upon a host city.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of descends
Verb
  • That is the moment that everything crumbles for Rachel.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
  • Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of crumbles
Verb
  • Once the finish is damaged, stains cling more easily, leading people to scrub even harder, which worsens the problem.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026
  • From Montesquieu’s perspective, polarization worsens this appetite for disregarding constitutional norms.
    — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of worsens
Verb
  • Many international students pay full tuition, turning them an increasingly important source of revenue as domestic enrollment declines.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Alan Jackson declines comment With that, the judge left the bench, taking no comment or questions from the lawyers present.
    — Kristina Rex, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of declines

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Cite this Entry

“Degenerates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerates. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of degenerates for Spanish Speakers

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