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
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
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
Freya Drohan, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2025
This decadent classic cake has a secret pantry ingredient that helps make this layered delight extra moist.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2025
Bob Minzesheimer, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
Get The Recipe This classic cake combines both pineapple and banana into one decadent treat that's just the right amount of sweet.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Adjective
As a label, Louboutin is always a little decadent and delicious, thanks to its sky-high stilettos and fun flats, which tend to have fans salivating at the mouth and coveting more.
—Freya Drohan, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2025
This decadent classic cake has a secret pantry ingredient that helps make this layered delight extra moist.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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
Get The Recipe This classic cake combines both pineapple and banana into one decadent treat that's just the right amount of sweet.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decadent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decadent
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
Taking away a tool that saves millions of Americans money to boost the tax prep industry's profits is another corrupt giveaway to Big Business.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
By the end of the finale episode, Kingpin has essentially taken control of the entire city and the Punisher is kidnapped by the corrupt police but Daredevil is assembling his own army to combat the tyrant.—
Skyler Trepel,
People.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Reviewers praise the smooth, luxurious feel of this comforter.—
Jamie Ballard,
Allure,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Hotel Del Salto, originally a luxurious residence, became a hotel in 1928 to cater to the Colombian elite visiting Tequendama Falls.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Outside the courthouse on Friday, Toner’s lawyer made a brief statement about his pervert client.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Jesus Christ’s preaching of love and kindness and forgiveness is seen as weak and effete.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Mar. 2025
-
This is bad enough, but then there’s the wide gulf of sensibility that separates Rock and Martin; the latter’s effete irony just doesn’t gel with Rock’s political trenchancy.—
Bill Wyman,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This new species was found around villages and gardens, as well as in degraded habitats at a mine site.—
Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
-
First, one neural network takes high-quality images from one instrument and simulates degraded images as if they were taken by a different, lower-quality instrument.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Julius’s secretive couplings with a Latino gambler (Diego Calva) are discreet, never sensual like Hernández’s nude compositions.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 Apr. 2025
-
The track stirred controversy at the time for its use of Catholic religious imagery in a sensual context.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decadent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decadent. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share