Word · Frequency #11310
degenerate
退化；恶化；变坏
核心释义
To become worse or lose good qualities; to decline.
- 1.
失去良好或理想品质
To lose good or desirable qualities.
- 2.
使失去良好或理想品质
To cause to lose good or desirable qualities.
- 3.
恶化
grow worse
使退化；使恶化；失去良好或理想品质；使失去良好或理想品质；恶化；退化
用法In use
After months of poor diet, his health degenerated quickly.
用法提示：动词过去式，表示健康状况衰退。
The neighborhood began to degenerate after the factory closed.
用法提示：动词不定式结构，表示开始退化。
The friendly debate degenerated into a shouting match.
用法提示：动词过去式，表示恶化成。
Conditions in the slums degenerated
degenerate into sth
into 后接恶化后的结果，常指争吵、混乱、暴力等更糟的局面。
The meeting degenerated into an argument about money.
会议恶化成了一场关于钱的争吵。
degenerate from sth into sth
相关词与表达Connections
搭配Collocations
- degenerate into chaos
- 陷入混乱；恶化成混乱
- The peaceful protest degenerated into chaos.和平抗议演变成了混乱。
- degenerate into violence
- 演变成暴力
- The argument degenerated into violence.争吵演变成了暴力。
- degenerate rapidly
- 迅速恶化
- His condition degenerated rapidly after the surgery.手术后他的状况迅速恶化。
- degenerate over time
- 随时间推移而退化；逐渐恶化
- The building's structure degenerated over time.这座建筑的结构随时间推移而退化。
学习提示Learner notes
记忆技巧Memory Tip
词里有gene（基因）——基因出问题，生物会退化；动词就是“退化、恶化”。
语境与语域Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：formal writing、news reports、academic discussion 动词 degenerate 多用于书面语或正式场合，表示逐渐变坏或退化为更差的状态；日常口语中较少用，可换成 get worse 或 deteriorate。
语法说明Grammar Note
既可作及物动词（使退化），也可作不及物动词（退化、堕落），常与介词into连用。
发音与拼写Pronunciation & Spelling
Degenerate ends in -erate but is pronounced /dɪˈdʒɛnɝət/. Among the -erate words, moderate, desperate, and considerate have a final /ərət/ (matching the unstressed ending), while generate, operate, and exaggerate end in /eɪt/ as verbs. None rhymes exactly with degenerate because its stressed syllable is /dʒɛn/.
用法优先级Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.