disrepair

noun

dis·​re·​pair ˌdis-ri-ˈper How to pronounce disrepair (audio)
: the state of being in need of repair
a building fallen into disrepair

Examples of disrepair in a Sentence

The lighthouse was in disrepair until the volunteers cleaned it up. After years of neglect, the house fell into disrepair.
Recent Examples on the Web But, as Philadelphia became the poorest large city in the country, the neighborhood fell into disrepair. Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2023 During the Great Depression, many of them fell into disrepair or were demolished entirely. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023 First, the sign would fall into disrepair — several times. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2023 Advertisement Built in 1958, the pool had fallen into disrepair over the years. Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Nov. 2023 Officials also said many sections of the jail are old and in disrepair. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 17 Oct. 2023 In the early 1970s, with New York City itself careening toward bankruptcy, the Chrysler’s occupancy rate reached a catastrophic low of 17 percent, and even after its 1978 inscription by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, the building kept slipping further into disrepair. Michael Snyder, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023 The garden fell into disrepair during World War II but was refurbished with support from the San Marino League. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023 His former home fell into disrepair and was even dismantled at the end of the 20th century, but local historians fought to reconstruct and restore it, opening it to the public on its original site in 2011. Dan Allen, NBC News, 17 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disrepair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disrepair was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near disrepair

Cite this Entry

“Disrepair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disrepair. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

disrepair

noun
dis·​re·​pair ˌdis-ri-ˈpa(ə)r How to pronounce disrepair (audio)
-ˈpe(ə)r
: the condition of needing repair

More from Merriam-Webster on disrepair

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