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