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Synonyms

disintegrate

American

[dis-in-tuh-greyt] / dɪsˈɪn təˌgreɪt /

verb (used without object)

to separate into parts or lose intactness or solidness; break up; deteriorate.

The old book is gradually disintegrating with age.
Physics.
1. to decay.
2. (of a nucleus) to change into one or more different nuclei after being bombarded by high-energy particles, as alpha particles or gamma rays.

verb (used with object)

to reduce to particles, fragments, or parts; break up or destroy the cohesion of.

Rocks are disintegrated by frost and rain.

disintegrate British

/ dɪsˈɪntɪˌɡreɪt /

verb

to break or be broken into fragments or constituent parts; shatter
to lose or cause to lose cohesion or unity
(intr) to lose judgment or control; deteriorate
physics
1. to induce or undergo nuclear fission, as by bombardment with fast particles
2. another word for decay

"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

Synonym Usage

See decay.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of disintegrate

First recorded in 1790–1800; dis- ¹ + integrate

Explanation

Soak your tooth in a cup of soda for long enough and it will disintegrate, or break apart from decay. The word disintegrate comes from a combination of the prefix dis- meaning "do the opposite of" and the Latin integrare meaning "to make whole." When something disintegrates, it does the opposite of become whole; it falls apart. Objects can either disintegrate over time — like a tooth soaking in a cup of soda, or instantaneously — like a building disintegrating into dust from an explosion.

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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.

Now, with those entry-level jobs disappearing, there’s danger that “the pathways that provide mobility disintegrate and you lose the American promise of opportunity,” Muro said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

The skins contain natural oils, and garments not kept in a temperature-controlled environment -- ideally off-season in cold vaults -- can dry out and disintegrate.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Plastic wipes don't disintegrate when flushed down the toilet, so when oil and fat congeal on them, so-called fatbergs form in sewers, which water companies say cost them £200m a year to clear.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

When these shelves thin or disintegrate, that stabilizing effect disappears, allowing land ice to move more quickly into the ocean and raise global sea levels.

From Science Daily • Oct. 29, 2025

When a god assumes his true form, the power is so great that any mortal looking on him will disintegrate.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023