1
as in decomposes
to go through decomposition
fallen leaves slowly disintegrate over the course of the winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grinds
to reduce to fine particles
modern air pollution is gradually disintegrating the ancient temple's irreplaceable friezes
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in disrupts
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
a tornado disintegrated the building in a matter of seconds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disintegrates
If the American state disintegrates, future postmortems are unlikely to focus much on measles, or on rotavirus vaccination rates.
—
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
The debris — space rocks known as meteoroids — collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.
—Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 2 Jan. 2026
The debris — small rocks known as meteoroids — collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 27 Dec. 2025
The six-episode second season has followed how James and Ruby’s relationship disintegrates following their night of passion at the end of the first and the unexpected death of James’ mother.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 Nov. 2025
While the missile could, in theory, bypass missile defenses, each test risks radioactive fallout if the reactor disintegrates during flight or on impact.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
Recruits typically come from deprived areas, and as Russia’s economy disintegrates in slow motion, the bonanza offered by the army looks increasingly appealing.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
What about uploading your brain to the cloud as your body disintegrates and becomes irrelevant?
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
The debris — space rocks known as meteoroids — collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.
—Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 2 Jan. 2026
The debris — small rocks known as meteoroids — collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 27 Dec. 2025
The six-episode second season has followed how James and Ruby’s relationship disintegrates following their night of passion at the end of the first and the unexpected death of James’ mother.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 Nov. 2025
While the missile could, in theory, bypass missile defenses, each test risks radioactive fallout if the reactor disintegrates during flight or on impact.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
Recruits typically come from deprived areas, and as Russia’s economy disintegrates in slow motion, the bonanza offered by the army looks increasingly appealing.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
What about uploading your brain to the cloud as your body disintegrates and becomes irrelevant?
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disintegrates
Verb
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The research team developed a route-planning system for Astrobee, the ISS’s robotic assistant, that leverages sequential convex programming—a method that decomposes complex trajectory planning into smaller, tractable steps while guaranteeing safety and feasibility.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Shilajit is a mineral-rich resin that forms over centuries as plant material slowly decomposes under heat and pressure within the rocks of the Himalayan Mountains.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The number of technicians who prepare hundreds of skis with special waxes and grinds to ensure the best glide for the day during World Cup, World Championship and Olympic events.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Nothing grinds my gears like shopping for luxury fashion pieces, only to learn that the fabric is made of cheap material (insert crying emoji).—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Recent weather extremes in the South and East are examples of what global warming can cause — a warmer Arctic that disrupts the polar vortex and pushes cold weather and snow farther south.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Bad Bunny disrupts this pattern by refusing separation between cultural celebration and political truth.—
Dr. Carlos A Torre,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Grief gets layered on top of grief and secrets stack sky high as suburban normalcy decays into something at once alarmingly unstable and comfortingly funny.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 Dec. 2025
-
This famously happens when a quantum object is measured, but in this case, the mystery crops up when the top quark decays into lighter particles.—
Shalma Wegsman,
Quanta Magazine,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In the present, Simon (now played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) pounds his car’s steering wheel, driving away from wreckage.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The claw then releases the broken bikes and pounds them down once more for good measure.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rotation breaks internal barrier Internal gravity waves generated by churning motions in the outer envelope were already suspected to play a part.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The film considers the relationship between the media and politicians, and how savvy minds can spin news into something that makes or breaks the success of someone, no matter how dirty their hands are.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The big differences between the labs probably reflect the fact that, as Italians like to say, the fish rots from the head.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
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Bacterial plant diseases include speck (a winter-surviving infection that attacks tomatoes), canker (which damages fruit trees including those producing apples and peaches), and blight (which rots melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and more).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Behind her closed door, Bree takes out the data card with Lucy’s confession and crushes it with a stapler.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Layer on top of this the inescapable student-loan debt that crushes their spirit and bank accounts.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disintegrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disintegrates. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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