decrepit
Americanadjective
-
weakened by old age; feeble; infirm.
a decrepit man who can hardly walk.
- Antonyms:
- vigorous
-
worn out by long use; dilapidated.
a decrepit stove.
adjective
-
enfeebled by old age; infirm
-
broken down or worn out by hard or long use; dilapidated
Synonym Usage
See weak.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decrepit
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin dēcrepitus, literally, “broken down,” equivalent to dē- de- + crep(āre) “to crack” + -i- -i- + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
That building falling down on the corner of your block? It's decrepit. So is the old man who lives there, if he is weak from age. Decrepit means broken down by hard use. Decrepit implies that something or someone is a weak, and run down — practically falling apart. It's really not a nice word to use about a person. If you are trying to say the same thing about a person, but more nicely, you might use the word, feeble, which means weak, but not disastrously falling apart.
Vocabulary lists containing decrepit
The Hunger Games
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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The Fault in Our Stars
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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.
Iñárritu said he and Cruise didn’t discuss specific people when developing the title character, who wears cowboy boots with pajamas and is obsessed with his decrepit cat named Maggie.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
I have heard from haggard, decrepit millennials that it used to be different, that it used to be grungy and alternative.
From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026
If I came across as old and decrepit, it might be less exciting for some of the audience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
As a New Yorker, he was well aware of Penn Station’s decrepit state.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
I went downstairs to the tiny windowless gift shop and asked the decrepit volunteer sitting on a stool behind a cash register what kind of flowers smell the strongest.
From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
