degenerate; fall into depravity; sink low
Meanings
2 senses · 7 examplesverb
degenerate; become depraved; morally decline
Used to describe a person's moral or behavioral decline, often involving corruption, addiction, or unethical actions.
He made bad friends and ultimately degenerated into a gambler.
Indulging in pleasure can easily cause a person to become depraved.
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Corruption among officials is a serious act of moral decay.
The novel tells the story of how an innocent young man gradually degenerated in the city.
verb
fall into a low social status; be reduced to (a degraded state)
archaicOften found in classical or early vernacular Chinese, describing a fall in social standing, often due to misfortune.
He was originally a son of an official family, but later, due to the decline of his family, he fell into a degrading life.
That aristocrat's son was ultimately reduced to living on the streets, begging for a living.
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(Found in early vernacular) She unfortunately fell into a brothel.