dilapidation

noun

di·​lap·​i·​da·​tion -ˌlapəˈdāshən How to pronounce dilapidation (audio)
plural -s
Synonyms of dilapidationnext
1
: the act of dilapidating or the state of being dilapidated
the wreck of a ship in the last stages of dilapidationR. L. Stevenson
2
English law
a
: ecclesiastical waste whether permissive or voluntary : waste of a building (such as a parsonage) committed to the charge of ecclesiastical persons
b
: the charge for repairing such waste
3
: the natural disintegration and breaking away of rock from a cliff or mountainside
also : the resulting debris

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dilapidacion, from Late Latin dilapidation-, dilapidatio action of squandering, from Latin dilapidatus + -ion-, -io -ion

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Cite this Entry

“Dilapidation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilapidation. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

dilapidation

noun
di·​lap·​i·​da·​tion
də-ˌlap-ə-ˈdā-shən
: a dilapidated condition : partial ruin

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