What does "decadent" mean?
A person affected by moral decay.
Decadent
/ˈdɛkədənt/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person affected by moral decay.
- Grammar: decadent is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abandoned, aesthete, artiste, coming apart.
- Useful contrasts: ascetic, austere, austere appearance.
- Usage evidence: All acts against nature are decadence. The most decadent of men are priests: they teach that which is against nature. Debating isn't effective against priests, only prison is.
How to use "decadent"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "decadent" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "decadent" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "decadent" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "decadent" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abandoned" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "decadent", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person affected by moral decay.
"L. Douglas He had the fastidiousness, the preciosity, the love of archaisms, of your true decadent."
- 2 a person who has fallen into a decadent state (morally or artistically) wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Characterized by moral or cultural decline.
"As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying it. Words are to confuse, so that at election time people will solemnly vote against their own interests."
- 2 Luxuriously self-indulgent.
"2003, Hedonismbot in the Futurama episode "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" Surgery in an opera? How wonderfully decadent! And just as I was beginning to lose interest!"
Adjective
- 1 luxuriously self-indulgent wordnet
- 2 marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"All acts against nature are decadence. The most decadent of men are priests: they teach that which is against nature. Debating isn't effective against priests, only prison is."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "decadent"?
Common synonyms include: abandoned, aesthete, artiste, coming apart, contaminated, corrupt.
How do you use "decadent" in a sentence?
All acts against nature are decadence. The most decadent of men are priests: they teach that which is against nature. Debating isn't effective against priests, only prison is.
How do you pronounce "decadent"?
Pronounced /ˈdɛkədənt/.
Etymology
From French décadent, a back-formation from décadence (see -ent), from Medieval Latin dēcadentia, from Late Latin dēcadēns, present participle of dēcadō, dēcidō (“sink, fall; perish”), from Latin dē- + cadō (“fall”).