as in neglected
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
a dilapidated car that had seen better days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 dilapidated
Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The project was planned to clear the area of outdated and dilapidated buildings, to attract new businesses and promote economic revitalization.
—Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
The trip could also see China give the go-ahead for the UK to rebuild its dilapidated embassy in Beijing.
—Brendan Murray, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Shawnee residents could expect a new Fresh Market grocery store opening this summer after the City Council unanimously approved a six-month extension to complete a redevelopment project at a long-vacant, dilapidated site.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dilapidated
Adjective
In the prison hospital, made up of dilapidated tents, 70 percent of the patients died.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The project was planned to clear the area of outdated and dilapidated buildings, to attract new businesses and promote economic revitalization.
—Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
The trip could also see China give the go-ahead for the UK to rebuild its dilapidated embassy in Beijing.
—Brendan Murray, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Shawnee residents could expect a new Fresh Market grocery store opening this summer after the City Council unanimously approved a six-month extension to complete a redevelopment project at a long-vacant, dilapidated site.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dilapidated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilapidated
Adjective
-
His refusal to weaponize suffering is one of his most important — and most neglected— lessons.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The department issued heavy fines and ultimately shuttered a neglected building in Denver’s uptown neighborhood last year that was owned by CBZ Management.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Vinegar can damage some finishes and the protective coating on some wood cabinets may have degraded over time.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
-
An Israeli military campaign in 2024 significantly degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The abandoned Westminster Mall has turned into a hotspot for vandalism since shuttering in late 2025, according to police who are attempting to raise awareness about the issue.—
Lesley Marin,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Rogers is shopworker Polly Parrish, who gets mistakenly identified as the parent of an abandoned baby.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In both cases, the remains were decomposed, and appeared that they may have been moved around multiple locations before being discovered, authorities said.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
As water conservation is a priority more than ever, homeowners are discovering sustainable hardscaping options like gravel and decomposed granite.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, adventurous beachgoers can check out the remains of hundreds of shipwrecks, lodged in the desolate sand.—
Melanie van Zyl,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Your character is a shape-shifting Ditto, and you’ve been dropped in a desolate landscape.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Alex Caruso relishes making Jokic miserable.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Weegar has had a tough season, with his impact in basically every situation falling off during what’s been a miserable year all around in Calgary.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Because the Republican Party and the conservative movement have both been so deeply corrupted.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2026
-
But, if the release of the Epstein files has accomplished anything, it’s been to demonstrate how, on both sides of the Atlantic, systems corrupted by money are ripe for reform.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Elsewhere, Jenna Ortega’s tattered Christian Cowan slip dress featured a thigh-high slit that would make Jolie proud.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The green cornice crowning the roofline had begun to fade, while layers of black paint and tattered posters peeled from the building’s exterior.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dilapidated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilapidated. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
