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Synonyms

dilapidated

American  
[dih-lap-i-dey-tid] / dɪˈlæp ɪˌdeɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. reduced to or fallen into partial ruin or decay, as from age, wear, or neglect.

    Synonyms:
    rickety, ramshackle, run-down

dilapidated British  
/ dɪˈlæpɪˌdeɪtɪd /

adjective

  1. falling to pieces or in a state of disrepair; shabby

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nondilapidated adjective
  • undilapidated adjective

Etymology

Origin of dilapidated

First recorded in 1800–10; dilapidate + -ed 2

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.

Beneath moss-covered cinder blocks, dilapidated stone markers, and a handful of headstones, more than 200 children who died in state custody between the 1870s and 1930s are buried.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

If he really cares about the latter, he wouldn’t bar tenants in the city’s dilapidated public housing from airing complaints at his hearings on “rental ripoffs,” as the New York Post reported this week.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

But it’s here, in places like the dust-swept grouping of cinder-block houses and dilapidated buildings that make up Al Kawd, where the real-world impact of those cuts can be most clearly felt.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

At the intersection where Herrera works, a dilapidated hotel waits for buyers.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

So Capricorn's men avoided that part of the village, where dirty dishes left by its long-gone inhabitants still stood on many tables behind dilapidated front doors.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke