effete
Drained of vigor
Effete describes something weakened, exhausted, or lacking vigor—often applied to people, cultures, or institutions perceived as decadent or past their prime.
The word carries connotations of overrefinement, suggesting someone too delicate or precious: an effete intellectual, effete aristocrats.
Originally meaning worn out from bearing offspring, effete now implies sterility in a broader sense—incapable of producing anything vital or new.
Falsely grand or important
- affectedArtificially contrived behavior
- manneredArtificially formal in style
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
- rarefiedMade less dense
snobbish · elitist · highbrow · aristocratic · ivory-tower · effeminate · mincing · prissy
Weak and ineffective
- enervatedDepleted of vitality
- ineffectualFailing to achieve purpose
- impotentLacking power or efficacy
- powerlessLacking strength or authority
enfeebled · debilitated · limp · flaccid · spineless · soft · emasculated · wimpy
Exhausted or disbursed
- depletedSeverely reduced or emptied
- drainedEmptied of resources
- worn-outDepleted through overuse
- barrenUnable to produce
sterile · sapped · impoverished · moribund · decayed · fallow · unproductive · infertile
Moral decline through excess
- overrefinedExcessively cultivated or delicate
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
- dandifiedExcessively refined in dress
- foppishVainly preoccupied with dress
jaded · world-weary · ennui · languor · dissolute · hedonism · self-indulgence · overindulgence
pretentious
Falsely grand or important
- affectedArtificially contrived behavior
- manneredArtificially formal in style
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
rarefied · snobbish · elitist · highbrow · aristocratic · ivory-tower · effeminate · mincing · prissy · fussy
feeble
Weak and ineffective
- enervatedDepleted of vitality
- ineffectualFailing to achieve purpose
- impotentLacking power or efficacy
powerless · enfeebled · debilitated · limp · flaccid · spineless · soft · emasculated · wimpy · wishy-washy
spent
Exhausted or disbursed
barren · sterile · sapped · impoverished · moribund · decayed · fallow · unproductive · infertile · fruitless
decadence
Moral decline through excess
- overrefinedExcessively cultivated or delicate
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
- dandifiedExcessively refined in dress
foppish · jaded · world-weary · ennui · languor · dissolute · hedonism · self-indulgence · overindulgence · sybaritic
effeteunpretentious
Lacking false superiority
earthy · down-to-earth · salt-of-the-earth · homespun · no-nonsense