1
as in to decompose
to go through decomposition
fallen leaves slowly disintegrate over the course of the winter
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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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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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Shortly after the first frosts, potato vines will begin to decompose at a faster rate.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
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Another legend explains how in the distant past, the nefarious Lake Nyos was formed from the decomposing body of a Kom chief whose people had been tricked and murdered by the Bamessi tribe.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But Chicago should grind up a bad Cincy defense that is giving up the most rushing yards in NFL.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
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The offense ground to a standstill, and Horford was unable to control the boards against Ivica Zubac, the Clippers’ bruising seven-foot center.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The real passengers on the ship were not particularly delighted to have large camera cables and lights and people disrupting their vacations.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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Corn can provide carbohydrates, which can be vital to deer during the winter for a burst of energy, Edge said, but an increase in carbs can disrupt the animal's gut chemistry and affect digestion, much like giving children a lot of candy bars.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mia Wasikowska plays Edith, an heiress who marries a seductive baron, Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), and moves into his enormous, decaying mansion — which is also inhabited by Thomas' enigmatic sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain).—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
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Small, viscous waves lapped against the shore, the swell leaving behind a brown shelf of decaying organic matter.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Discarded glass is now crushed and made into sand, which is then used to form paving stones throughout the resort—allowing the natural beaches to remain untouched.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Oct. 2025
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The one blemish — or ugly blotch — was that crushing 7-2 Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain last week.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The science author Stuart Clark notes that the concept was nonsensical to contemporary scientists, who assumed that magnetism could not break free from a magnet and that the Sun’s energy radiated equally across its surface.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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At the time of his arrest, Scott had an open warrant for skipping court in a 2022 burglary case, in which he was accused of breaking into his mother’s apartment building with two other men and stealing items including a ladder.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Leave 3 to 5 inches of space between the mulch and the trunk of young fruit trees to reduce the risk of rot and pest issues.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
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Churches, libraries, and houses stand splintered and rotting next to posh tourist resorts, the aftermath of 2017’s Hurricane Maria.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
26 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 31 Oct. 2025.
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