as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
lived alone on a tumbledown farm that had seen better days
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Recent Examples of tumbledown
Just a couple minutes off Interstate 10 near Dragoon is the tumbledown terrain of Texas Canyon, where a network of easy trails has opened.
—
Jill Cassidy, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2025
All except a few dozen hardy souls who formed the historical society and began patching the scars of this tumbledown town.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024
The project is in a tumbledown section of Oildale, situated between an optical lens store and aquatic pet shop.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
The pictures within chronicle a turbulent half decade in the lives of Billingham’s family members, who reside in a tumbledown tower-block apartment in the town of Cradley Heath.
—Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 29 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tumbledown
Jill Cassidy, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2025
All except a few dozen hardy souls who formed the historical society and began patching the scars of this tumbledown town.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024
The project is in a tumbledown section of Oildale, situated between an optical lens store and aquatic pet shop.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
The pictures within chronicle a turbulent half decade in the lives of Billingham’s family members, who reside in a tumbledown tower-block apartment in the town of Cradley Heath.
—Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 29 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tumbledown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumbledown
Adjective
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Its dilapidated state and lack of funding — just $25,000 was budgeted for programming by the city last year — prevents the facility from offering a full slate of services for residents.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
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The decedent lived in a dilapidated house, but in a respectable neighborhood, and I was therefore deluged with credit card offers addressed to the late debtor, a long-time devoted heroin addict.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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When first performed at L.A. Opera a decade ago, the lavish production, co-produced with English National Opera, helped recover a neglected opera.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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His refusal to weaponize suffering is one of his most important — and most neglected— lessons.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tumbledown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumbledown. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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