Decadence

/ˈdekədəns/
noun

A fall into low standards or lack of discipline, especially due to excessive pleasure or luxury.

The decadence of the ruling class led to their downfall.
Visual representation of "decadence" - A fall into low standards or lack of discipline, especially due to excessive pleasure or luxury

Often appears as...

  • moral decadence
  • social decadence
noun

Excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury.

The decadence of the royal court was well-known.
Visual representation of "decadence" - Excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury

Often appears as...

  • sheer decadence
  • utter decadence
noun

The period of decline in a society, culture or civilization.

The book describes the decadence of the Roman Empire.
Visual representation of "decadence" - The period of decline in a society, culture or civilization

Often appears as...

  • decadence of society
  • decadence of culture

Usage tips

Formal

Historical

noun

A style in art, literature, music, etc., characterized by excess, distortion or perversion.

The decadence of his artwork drew both criticism and admiration.
Visual representation of "decadence" - A style in art, literature, music, etc., characterized by excess, distortion or perversion

Often appears as...

  • artistic decadence
  • decadence in literature

Usage tips

Artistic

noun

A fall into low standards or lack of discipline, especially due to excessive pleasure or luxury.

The decadence of the ruling class led to their downfall.
Visual representation of "decadence" - A fall into low standards or lack of discipline, especially due to excessive pleasure or luxury

Often appears as...

  • moral decadence
  • social decadence
noun

Excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury.

The decadence of the royal court was well-known.
Visual representation of "decadence" - Excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury

Often appears as...

  • sheer decadence
  • utter decadence
noun

The period of decline in a society, culture or civilization.

The book describes the decadence of the Roman Empire.
Visual representation of "decadence" - The period of decline in a society, culture or civilization

Often appears as...

  • decadence of society
  • decadence of culture

Usage tips

Formal

Historical

noun

A style in art, literature, music, etc., characterized by excess, distortion or perversion.

The decadence of his artwork drew both criticism and admiration.
Visual representation of "decadence" - A style in art, literature, music, etc., characterized by excess, distortion or perversion

Often appears as...

  • artistic decadence
  • decadence in literature

Usage tips

Artistic

Definition 1 of 4
Visual representation of "decadence"
LampPro Tip 1/2

Lack of Restraint

Decadence often suggests that indulgence has led to a loss of traditional values or discipline.

Illustration for Lack of Restraint
The celebrity's lifestyle of decadence seemed at odds with his humble beginnings.
LampPro Tip 2/2

Negative Connotation

'Decadence' typically implies a judgment or disapproval of excessive behaviors.

Illustration for Negative Connotation
Critics argue that society's decadence is evident in its overly luxurious lifestyles.
LampPro Tip 1/2

Lack of Restraint

Decadence often suggests that indulgence has led to a loss of traditional values or discipline.

Illustration for Lack of Restraint
The celebrity's lifestyle of decadence seemed at odds with his humble beginnings.
LampPro Tip 2/2

Negative Connotation

'Decadence' typically implies a judgment or disapproval of excessive behaviors.

Illustration for Negative Connotation
Critics argue that society's decadence is evident in its overly luxurious lifestyles.
LampPro Tip 1/2

Lack of Restraint

Decadence often suggests that indulgence has led to a loss of traditional values or discipline.

Illustration for Lack of Restraint
The celebrity's lifestyle of decadence seemed at odds with his humble beginnings.
LampPro Tip 2/2

Negative Connotation

'Decadence' typically implies a judgment or disapproval of excessive behaviors.

Illustration for Negative Connotation
Critics argue that society's decadence is evident in its overly luxurious lifestyles.
Visual representation of the word "Decadence"

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Video examples

Finding happiness in...

and live in this world of pain?" I mistook happiness for a lot of other things, like numbness or decadence or selfishness. And what happened through the course of the "Vagina Monologues" and this journey is, I think I have come to understand a little bit more about happiness.

Video examples

Pompeiian Sexuality PIPE...

the name Pompeii will forever be linked with two things disaster and decadence this city has been portrayed time and

Video examples

Finding happiness in...

and live in this world of pain?" I mistook happiness for a lot of other things, like numbness or decadence or selfishness. And what happened through the course of the "Vagina Monologues" and this journey is, I think I have come to understand a little bit more about happiness.

Video examples

Pompeiian Sexuality PIPE...

the name Pompeii will forever be linked with two things disaster and decadence this city has been portrayed time and

Example 1 of 2

Quote examples

Paul Guilfoyle

American Actor

The thing that attracted me to 'CSI' is that these guys are always professional, but underneath, it's teeming with a heavy shadow. Maybe even some decadence and some weirdness with certain characters! And that always intrigued me as an actor.
Portrait of Paul Guilfoyle

Quote examples

Theodore Zeldin

English Philosopher

It's easy to say, 'I'm anti-capitalist,' or, 'I'm anti-Western decadence,' without having to be challenged about what that actually means, or how you might go about reshaping society to make it better.
Portrait of Theodore Zeldin

Quote examples

Ernest Hemingway

American Novelist

Decadence is a difficult word to use since it has become little more than a term of abuse applied by critics to anything they do not yet understand or which seems to differ from their moral concepts.
Portrait of Ernest Hemingway

Quote examples

Benito Mussolini

Italian Politician

The fate of nations is intimately bound up with their powers of reproduction. All nations and all empires first felt decadence gnawing at them when their birth rate fell off.
Portrait of Benito Mussolini

Quote examples

Talib Kweli

American Musician

You gotta eat right, you gotta have healthy habits, you know, and balance out your decadence with a healthy lifestyle during the day.
Portrait of Talib Kweli

Quote examples

Raymond Chandler

American Writer

An age which is incapable of poetry is incapable of any kind of literature except the cleverness of a decadence.
Portrait of Raymond Chandler

Quote examples

Stephen Hough

British Composer

The daily glitter of skyscrapers competing with the stars is an unnecessary, unforgivable decadence.
Portrait of Stephen Hough

Quote examples

Jesse Metcalfe

American Actor

Fame introduced me to a world of instant gratification and decadence I hadn't seen before.
Portrait of Jesse Metcalfe

Quote examples

Paul Verlaine

French Poet

I am the Empire at the end of the decadence.
Portrait of Paul Verlaine

Quote examples

Jack L. Chalker

American Author

Decadence is wonderful.
Portrait of Jack L. Chalker

Quote examples

Paul Guilfoyle

American Actor

The thing that attracted me to 'CSI' is that these guys are always professional, but underneath, it's teeming with a heavy shadow. Maybe even some decadence and some weirdness with certain characters! And that always intrigued me as an actor.
Portrait of Paul Guilfoyle

Quote examples

Theodore Zeldin

English Philosopher

It's easy to say, 'I'm anti-capitalist,' or, 'I'm anti-Western decadence,' without having to be challenged about what that actually means, or how you might go about reshaping society to make it better.
Portrait of Theodore Zeldin

Quote examples

Ernest Hemingway

American Novelist

Decadence is a difficult word to use since it has become little more than a term of abuse applied by critics to anything they do not yet understand or which seems to differ from their moral concepts.
Portrait of Ernest Hemingway

Quote examples

Benito Mussolini

Italian Politician

The fate of nations is intimately bound up with their powers of reproduction. All nations and all empires first felt decadence gnawing at them when their birth rate fell off.
Portrait of Benito Mussolini

Quote examples

Talib Kweli

American Musician

You gotta eat right, you gotta have healthy habits, you know, and balance out your decadence with a healthy lifestyle during the day.
Portrait of Talib Kweli

Quote examples

Raymond Chandler

American Writer

An age which is incapable of poetry is incapable of any kind of literature except the cleverness of a decadence.
Portrait of Raymond Chandler

Quote examples

Stephen Hough

British Composer

The daily glitter of skyscrapers competing with the stars is an unnecessary, unforgivable decadence.
Portrait of Stephen Hough

Quote examples

Jesse Metcalfe

American Actor

Fame introduced me to a world of instant gratification and decadence I hadn't seen before.
Portrait of Jesse Metcalfe

Quote examples

Paul Verlaine

French Poet

I am the Empire at the end of the decadence.
Portrait of Paul Verlaine

Quote examples

Jack L. Chalker

American Author

Decadence is wonderful.
Portrait of Jack L. Chalker
Example 1 of 10
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