as in to putrefy
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Recent Examples of dilapidate
Hamdok found that the legacy of 30 years of dictatorship meant that Sudan’s political and economic models were dilapidated.
—
Justin Lynch, CNN, 17 Apr. 2023
The apparent voter approval allows the village to proceed with construction of a new approximate 10,000 square foot clubhouse/pro shop replacing the existing clubhouse that was built nearly a century ago, and has been long been viewed as dilapidated by village officials.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2023
The initial goal was to repair and renovate it; however, this proved to be impossible as the original structure was too dilapidated.
—Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, 28 Mar. 2023
The towers would replace a four-acre debris heap where the famed but dilapidated Deauville Beach Resort from the 1950s sat until courts ordered it to be imploded.
—Mark Bisnow, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dilapidate
Justin Lynch, CNN, 17 Apr. 2023
The apparent voter approval allows the village to proceed with construction of a new approximate 10,000 square foot clubhouse/pro shop replacing the existing clubhouse that was built nearly a century ago, and has been long been viewed as dilapidated by village officials.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2023
The initial goal was to repair and renovate it; however, this proved to be impossible as the original structure was too dilapidated.
—Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, 28 Mar. 2023
The towers would replace a four-acre debris heap where the famed but dilapidated Deauville Beach Resort from the 1950s sat until courts ordered it to be imploded.
—Mark Bisnow, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dilapidate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilapidate
Verb
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Because lose-lose situations are so endemic to the genre, a hint of relief can sometimes accompany the prospect of surrender to the putrefying mob.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
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Fast-forward to now, and the scene has putrefied into a wasteland of the percussive undead.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Mushrooms also thrive in decomposing wood mulch.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
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The clever bit is when these fuels flow through the Draper engine and encounter a catalyst that decomposes the hydrogen peroxide into high-pressure oxygen and steam.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There was more funding for higher education, less restrictive laws, lower voting ages, better reproductive rights for women and easier divorces, while icons of popular culture gained far greater prominence and influence as stuffy hierarchies disintegrated.—
Jason Burke,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
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The café disintegrates, white-peach mimosas lost forever.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Over time, these invisible strikes can corrupt data, damage components, and shorten a spacecraft’s life.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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In this way at least, the mayor follows in the path of Socrates by corrupting the young.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Vinegar can damage some finishes and the protective coating on some wood cabinets may have degraded over time.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
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All of these steps degrade or destroy the aromatic compounds that made the flower compelling in the first place.—
Sara Payan,
Rolling Stone,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Extensive research shows that insufficient sleep is associated with impaired cognitive function, chronic health problems, diminished productivity and an increase in traffic accidents, just to name a few.—
Stephen Neely,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
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One concern is cognitive offloading, in which decision-makers defer too readily to algorithmic recommendations, effectively diminishing human accountability for strategic choices.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Symptoms flare, recede, then return without warning.—
Steven Beynon,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
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The Kim Sisters—actually two sisters and a cousin, who performed under Americanized names—were similarly shaped on a battlefield that receded only through song.—
Margaret Heidenry,
Vanity Fair,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In August 2024, Dell laid off an undisclosed number of employees after downsizing its sales staff and some managerial positions.—
Staff,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Feb. 2026
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The police and fire department employees also significant downsizing in the proposal, but spokespeople for each agency said no workers will be laid off.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dilapidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilapidate. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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