as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
he felt rather washed-up after this latest business failure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of washed-up
Advertisement This is what happened last year when their most significant trade-deadline pickup was washed-up pitcher Lance Lynn, or the year before when their major summer acquisition was strikeout-prone outfielder Joey Gallo.
Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw returns to the Dodgers.
—
Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2024
Forget washed-up — Escola might not yet be a widely recognizable name, but the 37-year-old is on track to become one of the most original and influential voices in the alternative comedy scene.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2024
She was shocked these kids didn’t see her as washed-up.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2023
Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2024
Forget washed-up — Escola might not yet be a widely recognizable name, but the 37-year-old is on track to become one of the most original and influential voices in the alternative comedy scene.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2024
She was shocked these kids didn’t see her as washed-up.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for washed-up
Adjective
-
In his native Germany, he was reviled by the Nazis as a degenerate artist.—
Celia Bell
July 22,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
-
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
Adjective
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Those weak harvests, in turn, are due to drought and high temperatures and more generally climate change, which has negatively impacted coffee harvests for several years.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
21 July 2025
-
It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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At its proudly overripe heart, the series is a gothic domestic soap—Lifetime themes gussied up in Southern finery.—
Inkoo Kang,
The New Yorker,
31 Oct. 2022
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But at the end of 2021, S&P profits already looked overripe.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2022
Adjective
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On top of software setbacks, the OP said the vehicle's battery had to be replaced, but with a degraded unit that reduced range by 30 miles overnight.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
-
In the kitchen, opt for glass and stainless-steel containers, and throw away degraded plastic tools.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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And there’s an intriguing romance between Nancy and Hamish (James Musgrave), a slightly effete soldier whose lack of commitment, and indeed libido, suggests her taste in men might not be as sharp as her wit.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
17 June 2025
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In this view, other European immigrants were unsuitable for civilizing the frontier—Southern Europeans were effete and decadent while Eastern European Jews were hapless in the woods and better-suited to urban, commercial spaces.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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The decadent lemon and ricotta pancakes, served with lemon curd, blueberries, and maple syrup, dispel any notion of low-calorie-only food here.—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
Travel + Leisure,
26 July 2025
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Right on time, the lights went out, revealing the decadent stage, designed to look the untouched, undeveloped version of the island’s oceans and mountains.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Washed-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washed-up. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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