degenerate
verb (used without object)
to fall below a normal or desirable level in physical, mental, or moral qualities; deteriorate.
degenerating
-
present participleof degenerate.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not to get too philosophical, but everything alive is degenerating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026
A subtle pathos, along with the playwright’s verbal sophistication, prevents the play from degenerating into a collegiate vaudeville.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2025
Finally, they showed that after actually damaging olfactory neurons, the ensheathing glia could not remove the degenerating axons in the flies on the high sugar diet because their Draper levels did not increase.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 7, 2023
That level of organization and conservation of DNA suggests the Y chromosome isn’t degenerating into obsolescence, Jobling says.
From Science Magazine ● Aug. 23, 2023
On the contrary, the style, the restraint, contribute to its development, and only prevent liberty from degenerating into license.
From An Autobiography by Igor Stravinsky
