1. Unrestrained by convention or morality
   "Congreve draws a degenerate aristocratic society";
   - debauched, degraded, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, profligate, riotous, fast
    
2. Showing evidence of deterioration, having lost good qualities
   "The once-grand mansion had fallen into a degenerate state"
    
3. (science and mathematics) being or having multiple states, types, etc. with the same or similar property
   "The degenerate energy levels in quantum mechanics"

1. A person whose behaviour deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behaviour
   "The community was shocked to learn that a degenerate had been living in their neighbourhood";
   - pervert, deviant, deviate, perv [informal], perve [informal]

1. Grow progressively worse
   "Conditions in the slums degenerated";
   - devolve, deteriorate, drop

Derived forms: degenerating, degenerated, degenerates

See also: immoral

Type of: decline, miscreant, reprobate, worsen

Encyclopedia: Degenerate