as in disrepair
formal
the state of being old and in bad condition or poor health
The house has fallen into decrepitude. She was saddened by the decrepitude of many of the nursing home residents.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decrepitude
Recent experience, including Mauricio Macri’s 2015-2019 Presidency, when Caputo and Federico Sturzenegger were also in charge of the nation’s economic levers, ended up with jarring devaluations that initiated a new and deeper descent into economic decrepitude.
—
Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
If that’s not enough for perennial contention, then the rest of the AFC East’s decrepitude will keep that window wide open.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Any rescue from the muck rests with ordinary citizens taking city and state government back from the politicians serving special interests rather than their own; and shunting aside the go-along-to-get-along business and civic elites settling for decrepitude.
—Forrest Claypool, Chicago Tribune, 5 Dec. 2024
Despite Orlok’s prosthetic decrepitude and the plague-like toxicity of his love, what truly horrifies Ellen about him is that some unknown part of her nature craves his touch.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for decrepitude
Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
If that’s not enough for perennial contention, then the rest of the AFC East’s decrepitude will keep that window wide open.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Any rescue from the muck rests with ordinary citizens taking city and state government back from the politicians serving special interests rather than their own; and shunting aside the go-along-to-get-along business and civic elites settling for decrepitude.
—Forrest Claypool, Chicago Tribune, 5 Dec. 2024
Despite Orlok’s prosthetic decrepitude and the plague-like toxicity of his love, what truly horrifies Ellen about him is that some unknown part of her nature craves his touch.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for decrepitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decrepitude
Noun
-
New elementary schools Declining enrollment and old buildings in disrepair have sprouted conversations about consolidating Olathe’s elementary schools.—
Kendrick Calfee
February 11,
Kansas City Star,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Millions of those homes have fallen into disrepair, according to a 2023 report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Leaking water can cause structural decay, mold growth, destroyed flooring, and more.—
Molly Burford,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Lambdas are ideal for spin research because the direction of a lambda’s spin can be inferred from the direction in which a proton or antiproton is emitted during its decay.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When hair endures damage from styling treatments, color, or heat, the hair’s keratin composition can be compromised, leading to feebleness and a greater risk of breakage.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century.—
Jenny Noyce,
JSTOR Daily,
28 June 2024
Cite this Entry
“Decrepitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decrepitude. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
