dilapidated 1 of 2

adjective

də-ˈla-pə-ˌdā-təd How to pronounce dilapidated (audio)
Definition of dilapidatednext
as in neglected
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect a dilapidated car that had seen better days

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dilapidated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of dilapidate
as in degraded

Related Words

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 dilapidated
Adjective
These wild swings in the numbers came while residents here didn’t notice any change to the slow but steady arrival of newcomers in dilapidated coaches. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 But because of dilapidated infrastructure, the country only produces about 1% of the world’s oil. — Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 The city earmarked $15 million to transform dilapidated buildings into hubs for new businesses. — Reg Chapman, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 But, as Keegan’s impact upon Newcastle — the club and the city — rose, the dilapidated ground changed, too. — Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dilapidated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilapidated
  1. neglected
  2. degraded
  3. abandoned
  4. decomposed
  5. desolate
  6. corrupted
  7. miserable
  8. disintegrated
Adjective
  • Investors and analysts are increasingly looking to other parts of the market, both to find neglected sources of value and to start assuming a defensive posture against a possible downturn.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Changing their environment is more reliable and more neglected.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of neglected
Verb
  • Sometimes the caulk around a drain has degraded, allowing mold to grow and offering an inviting way for springtails to enter.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The investigation found that the unpermitted excavation degraded sensitive habitats, according to a commission fact sheet.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of degraded
Adjective
  • By the time viewers reach hour 15, the staff has spent an entire shift navigating a cyberattack that forces the emergency department to abandon digital systems, a nonstop influx of Fourth of July emergencies and an abandoned baby.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • According to the gallery, the 25-minute film is set in a semi-abandoned hotel near Tokyo and reimagines the Greek myth of the goddess Persephone’s abduction by Hades.
    — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 16 June 2026
Definition of abandoned
Verb
  • The body itself was badly decomposed after spending an unknown amount of time exposed to the elements, with animals, bugs and rain, plus 50 years in storage.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Determining the causes of death was complicated by how decomposed the bodies were, the medical examiner’s office said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of decomposed
Adjective
  • All of them were naked, mutilated and left in desolate spots.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Miller was one of four young women whose bodies were found between 1984 and 1991 in a rural field off a desolate dirt road in League City, located about 28 miles (45 kilometers) southeast of Houston.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of desolate
Verb
  • This may then seem like yet another story about how Trump has wrecked norms and corrupted the rule of law.
    — James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The difference with those films is that all those guys came in corrupted by something or had something mentally going on.
    — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of corrupted
Adjective
  • Trabzonspor had two bids rejected — or Saudi Arabia are over, with both countries’ transfer windows also now closed, leaving a return to Brazil as Richarlison’s only escape from a seemingly miserable situation.
    — Dan Kilpatrick, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Cubs fans have alternated between being ecstatic and miserable, sometimes in the same inning.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of miserable
Verb
  • After a 2025 season in which their offensive line disintegrated before their eyes, the Chargers had every reason to believe this would be a bounce-back year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The house was the only one that was still standing; all the others have disintegrated into abstract shapes.
    — Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of disintegrated

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Cite this Entry

“Dilapidated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilapidated. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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