Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense degenerates, present participle degenerating, past tense, past participle degeneratedpronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (dɪdʒenəreɪt). The adjective and noun are pronounced (dɪdʒenərət).
1. verb
If you say that someone or something degenerates, you mean that they become worse in some way, for example weaker, lower in quality, or more dangerous.
Inactivity can make your joints stiff, and the bones may begin to degenerate. [VERB]
From then on the whole tone of the campaign began to degenerate. [VERB]
...a very serious humanitarian crisis which could degenerate into a catastrophe. [VERB + into]
Synonyms: decline, slip, sink, decrease More Synonyms of degenerate
degeneration (dɪdʒenəreɪʃən)uncountable noun
...various forms of physical and mental degeneration.
...the degeneration of our political system.
Synonyms: deterioration, decline, dissolution, descent More Synonyms of degenerate
2. adjective
If you describe a person or their behaviour as degenerate, you disapprove of them because you think they have low standards of behaviour or morality.
[disapproval]
...a group of degenerate computer hackers.
...the degenerate attitudes he found among some of his fellow officers.
Synonyms: depraved, base, corrupt, fallen More Synonyms of degenerate
3. countable noun
If you refer to someone as a degenerate, you disapprove of them because you think they have low standards of behaviour ormorality.
[disapproval]
Synonyms: pervert, deviant, profligate, libertine More Synonyms of degenerate
degenerate in British English
verb (dɪˈdʒɛnəˌreɪt)(intransitive)
1.
to become degenerate
2. biology
(of organisms or their parts) to become less specialized or functionally useless
adjective (dɪˈdʒɛnərɪt)
3.
having declined or deteriorated to a lower mental, moral, or physical level; debased; degraded; corrupt
4. physics
a.
(of the constituents of a system) having the same energy but different wave functions
b.
(of a semiconductor) containing a similar number of electrons in the conduction band to the number of electrons in the conduction band of metals
c.
(of a resonant device) having two or more modes of equal frequency
5.
(of a code) containing symbols that represent more than one letter, figure, etc
6.
(of a plant or animal) having undergone degeneration
noun (dɪˈdʒɛnərɪt)
7.
a degenerate person
Derived forms
degenerately (deˈgenerately)
adverb
degenerateness (deˈgenerateness)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Latin dēgenerāre, from dēgener departing from its kind, ignoble, from de- + genus origin, race
degenerate in American English
(diˈdʒɛnərɪt; dɪˈdʒɛnərɪt; for v., diˈdʒɛnərˌeɪt; dɪˈdʒɛnərˌeɪt)
adjective
1.
having sunk below a former or normal condition, character, etc.; deteriorated
2.
morally corrupt; depraved
noun
3.
a degenerate person, esp. one who is morally depraved or sexually perverted
verb intransitiveWord forms: deˈgenerˌated or deˈgenerˌating
4.
to lose former normal or higher qualities
5.
to decline or become debased morally, culturally, etc.
6. Biology
to undergo degeneration; deteriorate
Derived forms
degenerately (deˈgenerately)
adverb
degenerateness (deˈgenerateness)
noun
Word origin
L degeneratus, pp. of degenerare, to become unlike one's race, degenerate < degener, not genuine, base < de-, from + genus, race: see genus
Examples of 'degenerate' in a sentence
degenerate
Yet research shows that using the brain cells actually stops them degenerating.
Westcott, Patsy Alternative Health Care for Women (1991)
All of these can be attributable to degenerating marine ecosystems.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
That is natural enough, although it need not degenerate into a cultural war.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It's too painful for them to watch a person degenerate like that.
Christianity Today (2000)
Fuelled by his mischievous sense of humour, the debriefs invariably degenerated into howls of laughter.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
degenerate
British English: degenerate VERB
If you say that someone or something degenerates, you mean that they become worse in some way, for example weaker, lower in quality, or more dangerous.
Inactivity can make your joints stiff, and the bones may begin to degenerate.
American English: degenerate
Brazilian Portuguese: degenerar
Chinese: 退化
European Spanish: degenerarse
French: dégénérer
German: degenerieren
Italian: degenerare
Japanese: 悪化する
Korean: 퇴락하다
European Portuguese: degenerar-se
Latin American Spanish: degenerarse
British English: degenerate ADJECTIVE
If you describe a person or their behaviour as degenerate, you disapprove of them because you think they have low standards of behaviour or morality.
...a group of degenerate computer hackers.
American English: degenerate
Brazilian Portuguese: degenerado
Chinese: 堕落
European Spanish: degenerado
French: dégénéré
German: degeneriert
Italian: degenere
Japanese: 堕落した
Korean: 퇴폐적인
European Portuguese: degenerado
Latin American Spanish: degenerado
(verb)
Definition
to become degenerate
The argument degenerated into a fist fight.
Synonyms
decline
Her father's health has declined significantly in recent months.
slip
There is a general public belief that standards have slipped.
sink
Our hopes were sinking fast.
decrease
Population growth is decreasing each year.
deteriorate
There are fears that the situation may deteriorate.
worsen
The security forces had to intervene to prevent the situation from worsening.
rot
I was left to rot nine years for a crime I didn't commit.
decay
The work ethic in this country has decayed over the past 30 years.
lapse
The house lapsed into disarray through lack of care.
fall off
Unemployment is rising again and retail buying has fallen off.
regress
Such countries are not developing at all, but regressing.
go to pot
This neighbourhood is really going to pot.
retrogress
(adjective)
Definition
having deteriorated to a lower mental, moral, or physical level
the degenerate attitudes he found among some of his fellow officers
Synonyms
depraved
It has been condemned as the most depraved film of its kind.
base
Love has the power to overcome the baser emotions.
corrupt
the flamboyant and morally corrupt court of Charles the Second
fallen
low
That was a really low trick.
perverted
his perverted desires
degraded
morally degraded individuals
degenerated
immoral
It is immoral to persist with a system that impoverishes so many people.
decadent
the excesses of their decadent rock `n' roll lifestyles
debased
a dysfunctional and morally debased organization
debauched
a debauched circus performer in nineteenth-century Poland
dissolute
She regretted her dissolute life.
pervy (slang)
(noun)
Definition
a degenerate person
He's a liar, a degenerate and a fraud.
Synonyms
pervert
You're nothing but a sick pervert.
deviant
a dangerous deviant who caused trouble
profligate
He was a profligate and a pornographer.
libertine
a self-confessed coward, libertine and scoundrel
reprobate
the drunken reprobate of popular legend
debauchee
Additional synonyms
in the sense of base
Definition
dishonourable or immoral
Love has the power to overcome the baser emotions.
Synonyms
dishonourable,
evil,
corrupt,
infamous,
disgraceful,
vulgar,
shameful,
vile,
immoral,
scandalous,
wicked,
sordid,
abject,
despicable,
depraved,
ignominious,
disreputable,
contemptible,
villainous,
ignoble,
discreditable,
scungy (Australian, New Zealand)
in the sense of corrupt
Definition
morally depraved
the flamboyant and morally corrupt court of Charles the Second