dilapidated
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dilapidated
First recorded in 1800–10; dilapidate + -ed 2
Explanation
Falling down and in total disrepair, something that's dilapidated is going to need a lot of fixing up. Sure, there might be crooked floorboards, mice scurrying underfoot, and pieces missing from the ceiling, but that dilapidated house does come with one perk: a cheaper price tag! Dilapidated is a word that implies deterioration, often because of neglect. So if you don’t take care of things, they can become dilapidated. That goes for houses, tree forts, relationships, health — you name it!
Vocabulary lists containing dilapidated
Grade 10, List 2
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Tangerine
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The Maze Runner
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dilapidated buildings and decaying signage may put off the casual observer.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Dilapidated tracks, and a shortage of wagons, cranes, conveyor belts, and trained personnel make up the picture.
From BBC • Jul. 21, 2022
Dilapidated tents bound together with rope create strange formations amid the city’s mix of modern and Art Deco architecture.
From Slate • Feb. 7, 2020
Dilapidated campers fill the streets and parking lots every night.
From New York Times • Oct. 8, 2018
Dilapidated and discoloured, it has a charming Renaissance front.
From A Little Tour of France by Pennell, Joseph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
