Antonyms for degenerate


Grammar : Adj, verb
Spell : verb dih-jen-uh-reyt; adjective, noun dih-jen-er-it
Phonetic Transcription : verb dɪˈdʒɛn əˌreɪt; adjective, noun dɪˈdʒɛn ər ɪt


Definition of degenerate

Origin :
  • late 15c., from Latin degeneratus, past participle of degenerare "to be inferior to one's ancestors, to become unlike one's race or kind, fall from ancestral quality," used of physical as well as moral qualities, from phrase de genere, from de + genus (genitive generis) "birth, descent" (see genus). The noun is from 1550s.
  • adj corrupt, deteriorated
  • verb decay, deteriorate
Example sentences :
  • We modify it in these degenerate days to "blood will have money:"
  • Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 2, April 9, 1870 » by Various
  • Domestic care, like every other, is liable to degenerate into excess.
  • Extract from : « Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. II » by Francis Augustus Cox
  • Yet these country-people are no more corrupt or degenerate than the townspeople.
  • Extract from : « The Sexual Question » by August Forel
  • It is the idleness, luxury and corruption of large cities which cause it to degenerate.
  • Extract from : « The Sexual Question » by August Forel
  • He disliked her child, the little Charles Rougon, who was degenerate and weak-minded.
  • Extract from : « A Zola Dictionary » by J. G. Patterson
  • When we reason about such a subject, almost at once we degenerate into nonsense.
  • Extract from : « Phaedo » by Plato
  • But all such empires were liable to degenerate, and soon incurred the anger of the gods.
  • Extract from : « Critias » by Plato
  • As we degenerate, the contrast between us and our house is more evident.
  • Extract from : « Nature » by Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • It was amazing how a lady born and bred could degenerate in the rusticity of Dauphiny.
  • Extract from : « St. Martin's Summer » by Rafael Sabatini
  • The fleshpots of Egypt are still savory to degenerate palates.
  • Extract from : « Patrick Henry » by Moses Coit Tyler

Synonyms for degenerate

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019