The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - degenerateadj.

1) debased, degraded, corrupt, corrupted, vitiated, decadent, depraved, reprobate, dissolute, ignoble, base, low, inferior, vile: He was a degenerate descendant of a once noble lineage. Ben sank into the depths of a degenerate existence after Penelope left him. --v. 2) decline, deteriorate, decay, sink, worsen; backslide, regress, retrogress, weaken, go to the dogs, go to rack and ruin, Colloq go to pot: He felt that art had degenerated since the days of Rembrandt. --n. 3) reprobate, debauchee, wastrel, profligate, rake, rakehell, rou‚; pervert, deviate: The detective said that only a degenerate could have committed such a crime.