Word like “decadence” for declining skill

Question

I'm trying to fill in the gap in a sentence like this:

John's true skills were stagnating, even regressing, and in his ___, he increasingly indulged in fanciful daydreams where he would save the day, instead of facing his difficulties head-on.

I'm thinking of the word "decadence", but I feel like there's a word I'm not remembering that's a better fit.

Answer 1

Decline was the first word that came to me, too.

If you're looking for a word to describe his funk itself, though, what about something like indifference or lassitude? Even malaise might fit.

These aren't synonyms of decadence, of course, but when I read your sentence, decadence isn't the word that jumps out at me.

Answer 2

As alternatives, my ‘Collins Thesaurus’ gives degeneration, decline, corruption, fall, decay, deterioration, dissolution, perversion, dissipation, debasement and retrogression. But then again, perhaps you don’t mean decadence at all.

Answer 3

The word I'd put into that sentence is "decline". "Downward spiral" could work, or if you want to express more of a mood, "funk" or "rut" might work. "Decay" hints at "decadence" without the moralistic overtones.

Answer 4

If you wish to attribute John's decline in skills to age, you might use words like dotage, senescence, and wane or waning years.