1
as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
social critics claimed that their culture had become decadent and weak
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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 decadent
Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 5 Feb. 2026
Ette’s signature selection of teas by Mariage Freres will be served with seasonal, decadent pastries.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2025
Perhaps the only thing more decadent than a high-end steakhouse is a high-end steakhouse in Las Vegas.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Adjective
The nostalgia holds strong with a sprawling salad bar today, Santee bison steaks and a decadent chocolate soufflé for two.
—Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 5 Feb. 2026
Ette’s signature selection of teas by Mariage Freres will be served with seasonal, decadent pastries.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
Adding to the decadent painting’s lore, Alma-Tadema allegedly had thousands of roses shipped from France to his London studio when completing the work.
—Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2025
Perhaps the only thing more decadent than a high-end steakhouse is a high-end steakhouse in Las Vegas.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decadent
Adjective
-
Today, the urgent challenge before the royal family and many other institutions protected by mystique is whether the often degenerate select few in charge can still persuade the mass of people to remain beguiled and accept authority.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For reasons still not wholly understood, these ultradense objects—each about the mass of our star squeezed into a bizarre, city-sized ball of degenerate quantum matter—undergo starquakes in which the material on the surface shifts a bit like in an earthly tremor.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There, the political and commercial elites don’t shy away from murder to defend potentially corrupt schemes.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Harrowing revelations about corrupt leaders, child rape and grooming come to the fore, and a stop-clock on the back wall counts down the minutes and seconds until the play’s most paralyzing realization.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Mesa is a perfect family town with many safe and luxurious neighborhood communities, like the Eastmark neighborhood.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Cyklar Roll-On Perfume Oil Made from a blend of cardamom, amber, cashmere wood, and vanilla, this luxurious perfume oil evokes a cozy, irresistible feel that’s perfect for winter as well as year-round wear.—
Melony Forcier,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Then, about refocusing our attention on the challenges ahead, like pervert incentives and algorithms that aren’t in line with human flourishing.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 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
Noun
-
This is the burger for hedonists (particularly those who have time to take a nap right after).—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Dec. 2025
-
The ambush is delivered courtesy of the Mangkwan Clan, a cult of kamikaze hedonists who rejected Eywa after a volcano reduced their corner of Pandora to ash, but the RDA is happy to seize on the chaos and launch their final attack on the Metkayina’s oceanic stronghold.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Scarf critics accuse the accessory—and by extension, its wearers—of being effete or affected.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
1 Dec. 2025
-
What we’re left with is an effete description that exists for itself and doesn’t illuminate the character.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The patriarch’s rage at feeling degraded in America turns the home into a war zone.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The company acknowledges that direct recycling will not replace chemical methods entirely, particularly for mixed or degraded end-of-life batteries.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The film gets aesthetically expressive in slow-motion sequences when Colin is riding pillion on Ray’s bike, capturing the sensual excitement of it all, the wild ride that Colin has chosen to take.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2026
-
And then, Beyoncé, who has a stranglehold on excellence and can woo 100,000 with a look, shattered that bit of black-and-white history with a purple light, flames shooting up from the stage, and a sensational and sensual performance.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decadent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decadent. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
