Thesaurus results for WASHED-UP

washed-up

adjective

ˈwȯsht-ˈəp

Definition of washed-up

as in degenerate

having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit he felt rather washed-up after this latest business failure

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of washed-up Over the decades, the unassuming, borderline satirical roadside bar became a local landmark, attracting everyone from blue-collar workers and washed-up musicians to artists, retirees, bikers, and those who stop in simply to see what’s in a name. — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026 Deborah sees Ava as entitled and self-righteous, Ava sees Deborah as washed-up and boring. — Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026 Hacks season 5 Five years ago, Ava (Hannah Einbinder) struggled to accept her lot in life when she was hired to be washed-up comedian Deborah Vance's (Jean Smart) new writer. — Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026 The film, about a group of revolutionaries who reunite to help one of their own — Bob Ferguson, a washed-up, paranoid stoner — rescue his daughter from their longtime enemy, has a lot to say about our fraught, divisive reality. — Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Sep. 2025 Last offseason, the Washington Capitals signed several players seen as washed-up or underachieving. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Apr. 2025 Forget washed-up — Escola might not yet be a widely recognizable name, but the 37-year-old is on track to become one of the most original and influential voices in the alternative comedy scene. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for washed-up

Adjective

When the discs degenerate, vertebrae lose the spongy buffer between bones, resulting in pain.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
Or when some man behaving like a degenerate gambler plods into Chelsea Gray’s DMs with a disgusting slur.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of degenerate

Adjective

Most franchise advertising does not fail because the brand is weak or the market is dry.

— Jonathan Durante, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Historically, midterm years see weaker returns, but better times await the following year , especially if there is gridlock from a divided Congress.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of weak

Adjective

At its proudly overripe heart, the series is a gothic domestic soap—Lifetime themes gussied up in Southern finery.

— Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022
Check your raspberry patch and harvest every few days to avoid overripe fruit that attracts picnic beetles and other pests.

— Melinda Myers, Star Tribune, 30 July 2021

Definition of overripe

Adjective

Design choices previously thought to boost power, such as widening the gap between electrodes, actually degraded performance under true operating conditions.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
But detailed summaries of the punishments obtained by The New York Times provide the first look at how Cornell administrators apportioned blame for the alcohol and drug-fueled gathering that the woman has said left her shattered and degraded.

— Sharon Otterman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of degraded

Adjective

The formula feels impressively plush and decadent, combining hyaluronic acid to boost deep hydration, retinol to smooth skin and target signs of aging, and vitamin C to brighten your complexion.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Limitless breakfasts are a revelation of truly perfect pastries alongside bowls of heritage Indonesian recipes, decadent sweets, and equally decadent Western-style dishes including a Jimbaran Bay rock lobster omelette served with bisque.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of decadent

Browse Nearby Words

washed (over)

washed-up

washes

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Washed-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washed-up. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of washed-up

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes