The once-mighty empire had grown effete, bloated with luxury and devoid of vigor.
Source: tatoeba (13557509)
Effete
//ɪˈfit//
Synonyms for "effete" (292 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (59)
Strong matches (87)
done updraggydraineddrainingdrearisomedrearydroopingdroopydrydryasdustdulldustydwindlingeaten upebbingelephantineemptiedemptyenervatedenfeebled
Show 46 more words
erodedetiolatedevisceratedexhaustedfadefadingfailingfaintfaintishfallingfar gonefar-gonefatiguedfatuitousfatuousfecklessfeeblefemininefinishedflabbyflaccidflaggingflatfloppyfragmentingfrazzledfruitlessfutilegoing to piecesgonegutlessheavyho humho-humhollowimbecileimmoralimpoverishedin a bad wayinadequateinaneincapacitatedineffectiveineffectualinefficaciousinexcitable
Related words (146)
infecundinfertileinoperativeinsipidinvalidjadedjejunelaid lowlanguidlanguishinglanguorousleadenlifelesslimberlimplistlesslow spiritedlow-spiritedlustlessmarcescent
Show 77 more words
marrowlessnervelessnugaciousnugatoryof no forceoutoverripepalepallidpedestrianpiningpithlessplayed outploddingpointlesspokyponderouspoopedpowerlessrefinedregressiveretrograderetrogressiverubberyrun downrun-downsaplesssappedshottenshrivelingsinewlesssinkingslackslidingslippingslowslumpingsoftsolemnspentspinelessspiritlesssterilestiffstodgystrengthlessstuffysubsidingsuperficialtabetictastelesstedioustiredunavailingunfruitfulunhardenedunlivelyunnervedunstrungused upuselessvainvapidwaningwashed-outwastedwastingweakweakenedweaklywiltingwitheringwoodenwornworn awayworn-outworsening
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
Translations
31 translations across 10 languages.
Bulgarian
3 entries- изтощен adj (lacking strength)
- изчерпан adj (lacking strength)
- упадъчен adj (decadent)
Catalan
2 entries- decadent adj (decadent)
- exhaust adj (lacking strength)
French
2 entries- affaibli adj (lacking strength)
- décadent adj (decadent)
German
4 entries- dekadent adj (decadent)
- dürftig adj (lacking strength)
- effeminiert adj (decadent)
- entkräftet adj (lacking strength)
Greek
1 entries- μαλθακός adj (lacking strength)
Italian
1 entries- logoro adj (lacking strength)
Romanian
1 entries- slăbit adj (lacking strength)
Russian
2 entries- истощённый adj (lacking strength)
- упаднический adj (decadent)
Spanish
2 entries- decadente adj (decadent)
- débil adj (lacking strength)
Ukrainian
4 entries- виснажений adj (lacking strength)
- декадентський adj (decadent)
- занепадницький adj (decadent)
- знесилений adj (lacking strength)
Sample sentences
12 total sentences available.
His effete manners and delicate gestures made him seem out of place among the rugged sailors.
Source: tatoeba (13557511)
The critics dismissed the film as an effete imitation of earlier, bolder works.
Source: tatoeba (13557512)
The aristocracy had become effete, living off inherited wealth and outdated traditions.
Source: tatoeba (13557629)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.