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
  • What remains that haven’t been scavenged have decomposed to the point where DNA analysis is difficult and all but useless in Gaza, where there are no functioning laboratories able to test and compare samples.
    — Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Earwigs primarily feed on plants and decomposing organic matter and do not infest or damage stored food in the way some beetles, weevils, and moths might.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • In the two-thousands, after the State disintegrated, Wain and two other members, Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black, formed the trio Stella, which helped define New York’s downtown alt-comedy scene.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 July 2026
  • That changed in April 2023 when unknowing construction workers unceremoniously removed a disintegrating Pinky from its eyrie.
    — Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Verb
  • The unsightly mushroom could have corrupted her maids’ morals, or even their health.
    — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026
  • Radiation from space and other high-energy environments can corrupt data or permanently damage conventional electronics.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of corrupt
Verb
  • The attacks, involving fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels, struck missile and drone facilities, naval assets and coastal defense systems to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping, Centcom said.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 15 July 2026
  • Preserving the forests that remain, while restoring those that have been degraded, may ultimately prove far more valuable than chasing ever-larger tree-planting targets alone.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Definition of degrade
Verb
  • Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • Kylian Mbappé’s powers were diminished in that tournament after sustaining a broken nose, while emerging stars like Michael Olise and Désiré Doué were yet to break through.
    — James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • About a year’s worth of rain has already fallen in southern Texas and while water levels have receded in some areas, officials urge residents to remain vigilant while heavy showers continue in areas already inundated by torrential rain.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • In Kerrville, the city police department said in a noon update that while high water had mostly receded, the emergency is ongoing, with numerous road and bridge closures.
    — Bill Chappell, NPR, 16 July 2026
Definition of recede
Verb
  • The ocean’s abundance had been dramatically diminished, but few recreational fishermen noticed; their expectations had been downsized, too.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • Backers downsizing the Utah monuments said the protective boundaries stretched too far and hindered mining for critical minerals.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 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 18 Jul. 2026.

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