1
as in to decompose
to go through decomposition
fallen leaves slowly disintegrate over the course of the winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles
modern air pollution is gradually disintegrating the ancient temple's irreplaceable friezes
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
a tornado disintegrated the building in a matter of seconds
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disintegrate
When breaking down what the heck happened over the last four months, the first item on the list is the way New York’s starting rotation disintegrated.
—
Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
The electrical grid is disintegrating, with hours-long blackouts common across the island.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
In 2014, the American team disintegrated under Tom Watson’s leadership at Gleneagles in Scotland.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
It’s been ripe for restoration since the 1970s and has sat, empty and disintegrating, for most of that time.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disintegrate
Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
The electrical grid is disintegrating, with hours-long blackouts common across the island.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
In 2014, the American team disintegrated under Tom Watson’s leadership at Gleneagles in Scotland.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
It’s been ripe for restoration since the 1970s and has sat, empty and disintegrating, for most of that time.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disintegrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disintegrate
Verb
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Forensic entomology −the study of insects and arthropods on decomposing bodies − is crucial in homicide and death investigations, Musah told USA TODAY.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
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The round spots seemed neat compared with their surroundings, clear of the layers of decomposing plankton spotted elsewhere on the seafloor.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Keeping ‘the wolf away from the door’ Colorado River cuts could hit the tiny town of Cave Creek harder than any other municipality, town officials say, potentially grinding growth to a halt and pulling the town government into lawsuits over unfulfilled water contracts.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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And when daily wear and tear was simulated – through continuous electric-toothbrush abrasion equivalent to about a year of brushing, as well as chewing and grinding – the teeth actually had superior resistance to wear, fracture and acid attack compared with natural enamel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But the science shows exercising late at night, just before bed can disrupt sleep.—
Allison Aubrey,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
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China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and Navy both operate advanced jamming aircraft, such as the J-16D, equipped with pods that can disrupt radar, GPS, and datalinks across wide areas.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The leather on the shoes appears to be slightly decayed, worn, cracked and brittle, while the laces and midsole are stained, giving a distressed, lived-in effect.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
27 Oct. 2025
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This approach blends technical discipline, probabilistic pricing and time decay into a cohesive framework.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Wrappers and crushed soda cans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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White people organized a brutal resistance against Black citizenship, deploying violence and terror to crush Reconstruction.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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His most recent stop before Arkansas was in Baltimore, Maryland, as a night and breaking news editor.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
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With eight catches for 129 yards, the third-year player remains on pace to break the NFL’s single-season record for receiving yards (1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012).—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Good drainage also helps prevent crown rot in winter.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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The rotting corpse flower’s putrid stench cast a spell Thursday across Roseville High School’s campus.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And so the Jays did, piling up one quality at-bat after another, grinding down Snell, pounding the Dodgers’ suspect bullpen.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Its rain has already been pounding parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic for several days, flooding roadways and triggering landslides.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disintegrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disintegrate. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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