1
as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
social critics claimed that their culture had become decadent and weak
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
opponents of gambling casinos claim that gambling is a decadent form of entertainment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in luxurious
given to or marked by excessive gratification of one's desires
the impressionable heiress couldn't resist the decadent temptations of the jet-set life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pervert
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
avant-garde artists who were scorned by the bourgeoisie as talentless decadents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hedonist
a person whose life is devoted to luxury and sensual pleasures
a decadent who squandered her once considerable family fortune
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decadent
The Editors, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
The problem of institutions of higher education churning out not godly patriots, but decadent ingrates, has been with us for a very long time.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
North America has been devastated by war and divided between a decadent, all-powerful Capitol and 12 struggling districts.
—Bob Minzesheimer, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Adjective
Pope Francis was also a product of a Jesuit order in fantastic and decadent decline, often needlessly characterizing orthodox Christian belief as an enemy of charity or an obstacle to the corporal works of mercy.
—The Editors, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
The problem of institutions of higher education churning out not godly patriots, but decadent ingrates, has been with us for a very long time.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
Just as the Catholic Church would hold a perverse appeal to the decadents of the period, eventually drawing in figures as seemingly resistant as Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley, anarchism held out a similar enchantment at the other end of the political spectrum.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
North America has been devastated by war and divided between a decadent, all-powerful Capitol and 12 struggling districts.
—Bob Minzesheimer, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decadent
Adjective
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In a guest role that’s been extremely well hidden in the months leading up to the premiere, Bradley Cooper turns heel as Elijah Gemstone, a degenerate con man who sees right through Abel Grieves’s lucrative scam before plugging him in the forehead.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2025
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In theory, the walls of carbon nanotubes house a sea of degenerate electrons that have a similar density to metals.—
The Physics arXiv Blog,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Rosamund Pike adds her name to the cast list, starring as a diamond seller whose family launders their profits through corrupt back-channels.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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Countless cases have shown how these schemes have granted safe haven to corrupt actors from around the world and other suspicious individuals in the EU.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In 1963, the palace was transformed into a luxurious resort dedicated to lavish living.—
Jim Dobson,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Original price: $99 The Art of Shaving pre-shave beard oil is a luxurious oil made from a unique blend of botanicals that won’t leave an oily residue.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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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
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Outside the courthouse on Friday, Toner’s lawyer made a brief statement about his pervert client.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After a buzzy renovation and reopening in 2023, it’s welcomed a new generation of Tinseltown hedonists.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Danny is the sort of hard-partying, hard-drinking hedonist who wakes up with multiple undressed women in his bed, while Wihlborg refers to his body as a temple and disdains liquor and carbs.—
Frank Scheck,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Each thing serves as the cartoonishly exaggerated marker of an identity: berserker populist patriot, effete rich man, savvy dealmaker.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2025
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Jesus Christ’s preaching of love and kindness and forgiveness is seen as weak and effete.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Freshwater Challenge is an initiative of countries—currently 49 countries plus the European Union—that have committed to collectively restoring 300,000 kilometers of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands.—
Jeff Opperman,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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The resulting service gaps leave service providers relying on alternate methods that in many places result in a degraded customer interaction.—
Glenn Katz,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This is a kind of peacocking that reads as sensual playful, and audacious.—
Kerane Marcellus,
Essence,
6 May 2025
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With its connection to the sensual world, the pleasures of nature and the grounding energy of the Earth, Taurus season provides the perfect backdrop for this celebration of life and growth.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decadent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decadent. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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