disintegration
noun
dis·in·te·gra·tion
(ˌ)dis-ˌin-tə-ˈgrā-shən 
plural disintegrations
: the act or process of disintegrating or the state of being disintegrated: such as
a
: the breaking down of something into small particles or into its constituent elements
Some glaciers have been destabilized by warmer ocean waters. Scientists fear that parts of the ice sheet may be in the early stages of an unstoppable disintegration.—
Justin Gillis
Justin GillisBut miraculously, officials say, the countless bits of debris from the disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia injured not a soul on the ground.—The New York Times
The New York Times
b
: loss of unity or integrity by or as if by breaking into parts
Declining sales led to the company's gradual disintegration and ultimate demise.
What's more, the fear of many conservatives that we might be at the mercy of unstoppable forces of social disintegration turned out to be wrong.—William Kristol
William KristolOver the long run, however, there is no substitute for addressing the root causes of crime—bad education and lack of job opportunities and the disintegration of families.—Daniel D. Polsby
Daniel D. PolsbyExamples of disintegration in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As the flag vanished, only stars and ash remained—an image of disintegration, or perhaps transformation.
—Nel-Olivia Waga, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
The following week, Musk’s cushy relationship with the Trump administration suffered a similar disintegration.
—Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
Kehlmann exercises the same liberties as Doctorow, yet what holds his fictional whirlwind together is not sensation but an appalling portrait of Europe in a state of emotional and moral disintegration.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
Set in rural America, the film is a portrait of a married woman’s mental disintegration as post-natal depression consumes and obliterates her.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for disintegration
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Nel-Olivia Waga, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
The following week, Musk’s cushy relationship with the Trump administration suffered a similar disintegration.
—Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
Kehlmann exercises the same liberties as Doctorow, yet what holds his fictional whirlwind together is not sensation but an appalling portrait of Europe in a state of emotional and moral disintegration.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
Set in rural America, the film is a portrait of a married woman’s mental disintegration as post-natal depression consumes and obliterates her.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for disintegration
Cite this Entry
“Disintegration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disintegration. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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