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dilapidate

verb

Definition of dilapidatenext
as in to putrefy

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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 dilapidate At the center of the woods, off Haven Beach Road, was a solitary and dilapidated Colonial homestead that burned to the ground. — Bree Sposato, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2023 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 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
  1. putrefy
  2. decompose
  3. disintegrate
  4. corrupt
  5. degrade
  6. diminish
  7. recede
  8. downsize
Verb
  • 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
  • Fast-forward to now, and the scene has putrefied into a wasteland of the percussive undead.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 2 July 2025
Definition of putrefy
Verb
  • Even worse, the process of trying to decompose those grounds can deprive your orchid of nutrients.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026
  • McGraw said their policy is to allow carcasses to decompose naturally, which is similar to rules followed by the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Cotter said.
    — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • After 14 years of exploration, the Galileo spacecraft intentionally fell into Jupiter and disintegrated in the planet's dense atmosphere.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Scott’s face, in this shot, is a whole novel, disintegrating into tears before being shored up again, eventually rearranged into something resembling a welcoming smile that teeters on the edge of collapse.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Verb
  • The audience is interacting with an object that had been scanned, that had been corrupted in some way.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Obama and Biden were corrupted by donors who wanted cheap labor.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Verb
  • Germany's Constitutional Court ruled last year that the extradition was unlawful because it could not be guaranteed that the defendant would not be subject to inhumane or degrading treatment in Hungarian custody.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Moscow no longer hopes to win by merely capturing cities, or even by degrading Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
    — Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of degrade
Verb
  • Yes, that’s twice as many treatment options as the previous Series 2 mask—which means this pick is clinically proven to diminish the appearance of crepiness by stimulating collagen and elastin, as well as pigmentation concerns.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Likewise, the failure to hire an effective leader for the Blockchain Association has diminished the industry’s influence in the Capitol.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • Heavy rain has already flooded some roads in southern New Mexico, trapping drivers in cars until the waters receded.
    — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Floodwaters in Thailand ’s capital were slowly receding on Monday after nearly continuous rainfall over the weekend, although some neighborhoods and major roads remained inundated.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of recede
Verb
  • Partly because of the notion that artificial intelligence was likely to contribute to downsizing, the memo ended up being widely shared across the company.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
  • In a world where everyone is downsizing, including car manufacturers making their engines smaller, GM has gone the opposite way.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of downsize

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Cite this Entry

“Dilapidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilapidate. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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